Department of the Army, DoD § 578.27 for the service rendered by civilian or- available for issue to authorized recipi- ganizations which have contributed di- ents. rectly to improved relationship be- (d) Duplicating awards. Not more than tween members of local military com- one service medal will be awarded for mands and civilian communities. The service involving identical or overlap- award may be made in recognition of ping periods of time, except that each service rendered over a prolonged pe- of the following groups of service med- riod of time, or for a specific one-time als may be awarded to an individual program or service considered to be so provided he meets the criteria pre- outstanding as to merit commendation scribed hereinafter. by the Secretary of the Army. (1) World War I Victory Medal and (b) Letter recommendations for Mexican Service Medal. issuance of the Special Certificate of (2) World War II Victory Medal and Achievement for Public and Commu- one or more of the campaign medals for nity Relations will be submitted to the that war. Chief of Information, Department of (3) Medal for Humane Action and the Army, Washington, DC 20310, Army of Occupation Medal. through military channels. Rec- (4) National Defense Medal, Korean ommendations will include a detailed Service Medal, and United Nations description of the contributions made Service Medal. by the nominee, the inclusive dates of (5) Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the period during which the contribu- any other service medal listed herein- tions were made, and a proposed cita- after. tion. The value of these contributions to the Army must be clearly indicated. [26 FR 6436, July 18, 1961] No distinguishing device is authorized § 578.27 Good Conduct Medal. for wear by members of the cited orga- nization. (a) Purpose. The Good Conduct Medal, (c) Presentation of the special certifi- established by Executive Order 8809 and cate will be made in a manner com- amended by Executive Order 9323 and mensurate with the significance of the by Executive Order 10444 is awarded for award. exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fi- delity in active Federal military serv- [22 FR 9693, Dec. 4, 1957] ice. It is awarded on a selective basis to each soldier who distinguishes himself SERVICE MEDALS from among his fellow soldiers by his exemplary conduct, efficiency, and fi- § 578.26 General. delity while in an enlisted status. (a) Purpose. Service (campaign) med- There is no right or entitlement to the als denote honorable performance of medal until the immediate commander military duty within specified limiting has made positive recommendation for dates in specified geographical areas. its award, and until the awarding au- With the exception of the Medal of Hu- thority has announced the award in mane Action and the Armed Forces Re- General Orders. To qualify for an serve Medal they are awarded only for award of the Good Conduct Medal, an active Federal military service. enlisted person must meet specified (b) Awarding. Awarding of service criteria throughout a specified period medals is effected pursuant to an- of continuous enlisted active Federal nouncement of criteria by the Sec- military service, as outlined in this retary of the Army in Department of section. the Army Bulletins or General Orders. (b) Awarding authority. General and A service medal thus is automatically field grade officer commanders are au- awarded to each individual who meets thorized to award the Good Conduct the published criteria. Orders are not Medal (original and subsequent awards) required. to enlisted personnel serving under (c) Requisitioning. Service medals for their command jurisdiction who meet service prior to World War I will not be the established criteria. This delegated requisitioned for display purposes since authority is limited to service during only minimum essential quantities are the 36 calendar months immediately 411 VerDate jul<14>2003 10:08 Aug 07, 2003 Jkt 200121 PO 00000 Frm 00411 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:\SGML\200121T.XXX 200121T § 578.27 32 CFR Ch. V (7–1–03 Edition) preceding the date of current consider- 1950, of less than 3 years but more than ations. Personnel processing installa- 1 year. tion or activity commanders are pro- (4) For first award only, upon termi- hibited from awarding the Good Con- nation of service, on or after June 27, duct Medal to personnel other than 1950, of less than 1 year when final sep- members of their own permanent aration was by reason of physical dis- party. ability incurred in line of duty. (c) Special provisions. (1) Qualifying (e) Criteria. Throughout a qualifying periods of service must be continuous period each enlisted person must meet enlisted active Federal military serv- all of the following criteria for an ice. When an interval in excess of 24 award. hours occurs between enlistments, that (1) All conduct (character) and effi- portion of service prior to the interrup- ciency ratings must be recorded as tion is not creditable toward an award. ‘‘Excellent’’ except that: (2) Entry into service as a cadet or (i) Ratings of ‘‘Unknown’’ for por- midshipman at any United States serv- tions of the period under consideration ice academy or discharge from enlisted are not disqualifying. status for immedate entry on active (ii) Service school efficiency ratings duty in an officer status is considered based upon academic proficiency of at termination of service for the purpose least ‘‘Good’’ rendered subsequent to of awarding the Good Conduct Medal. November 22, 1955 are not disquali- (3) A qualified person scheduled for fying. separation from active Federal mili- tary service should receive the award (2) No conviction by court-martial at his last duty station. Such award is during the period. authorized up to 30 days prior to the (3) The individual must not be serv- soldier’s departure en route to a sepa- ing in, nor have been serving at the ration processing installation in time of separation in, an assignment of CONUS or overseas. Orders announcing the type designated as ‘‘specially con- such advance awards will indicate the trolled duties’’ in AR 604–10. closing date of periods for the award (f) Basis for recommendation. Rec- prefixed with ‘‘DOSOA’’ (indicating ommendation by the individual’s im- ‘‘Date of separation on or about’’). mediate unit commander is required (4) An award made for any authorized for award of the Good Conduct Medal period of less than 3 years must be for by the approving authority. Such com- the total period of obligated active mander’s recommendation will be Federal military service. based on his personal knowledge and on (5) Discharge under provisions of AR the individual’s official records for pe- 635–205 for immediate (re) + enlistment riods of service under prior com- is not termination of service. manders during the period for which (6) Retroactive awards will be made the award is to be made. The lack of of- only by The Adjutant General after fa- ficial disqualifying comment by such vorable consideration of requests, sub- previous commanders qualifies the use mitted through channels, which in- of such periods toward the award by clude adequate evidence of injustice. current commander. (d) Qualifying periods of service. Any (g) Clasp. A good Conduct Medal one of the following periods of contin- Clasp is awarded for wear on the Good uous enlisted active Federal military Conduct Medal suspension ribbon and service qualifies for award of the Good service ribbon to denote a second or Conduct Medal or of a Clasp, in con- subsequent award of the medal. Not junction with the criteria in paragraph more than one Good Conduction Medal (e) of this section. may be awarded to any one person. (1) Each 3 years completed on or after (h) Presentation. Presentation of the August 26, 1940. Good Conduct Medal to military per- (2) For first award only, 1 year served sonnel may be made at troop forma- entirely during the period December 7, tions. 1941 to March 2, 1946. (i) Description. The Good Conduct (3) For the first award only, upon ter- Medal of bronze is 11⁄4 inches in diame- mination of service on or after June 27, ter. On the obverse is an eagle standing 412 VerDate jul<14>2003 10:08 Aug 07, 2003 Jkt 200121 PO 00000 Frm 00412 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:\SGML\200121T.XXX 200121T Department of the Army, DoD § 578.30 on a closed book and Roman sword, en- crossed flags, rifles, an Indian shield, circled by the words ‘‘Efficiency- spear, and quiver of arrows, a Cuban Honor-Fidelity.’’ On the reverse is a machete, and a Sulu kriss. Below the five-pointed star and a scroll between trophy are the words ‘‘For Service.’’ the words ‘‘For Good’’ and ‘‘Conduct,’’ The whole is surrounded by a circle surrounded by a wreath formed by a composed of the words ‘‘United States laurel branch on the left and an oak Army’’ in the upper half and thirteen branch on the right. The medal is sus- stars in the lower half. The medal is pended by a ring from a silk moire rib- suspended by a ring from a silk moire 3 bon 13⁄8 inches long and 13⁄8 inches wide ribbon 1 ⁄8 inches in length and 3 composed of stripes of red (1⁄16 inch), 1 ⁄8 inches in width composed of a red 1 3 white (1⁄16 inch), red (1⁄16 inch), white stripe ( ⁄4 inch), black stripe ( ⁄16 inch), 1 (1⁄16 inch), red (1⁄16 inch), white (1⁄16 inch), red band ( ⁄2 inch), black stripe 3 1 red (5⁄8 inch), white (1⁄16 inch), red ( ⁄16 inch), and red stripe ( ⁄4 inch).