Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
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| Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | |
|---|---|
| Name | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal |
| Presenter | United States Department of the Navy |
| Type | Medal |
| Awarded for | Exemplary service or achievement |
| Status | Active |
| Established | 3 March 1961 |
| First awarded | 1961 |
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal recognizes enlisted and officer personnel of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps for meritorious service or achievement. Instituted during the administration of President John F. Kennedy, the medal sits within the uniformed decorations framework of the United States Armed Forces and is administered by the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, with award actions processed through naval and marine chains including commands such as United States Fleet Forces Command and Marine Corps Forces Command.
History
The decoration was established on 3 March 1961 by authority of the Secretary of the Navy during the tenure of John Connally in the broader post-Korean War and early Vietnam War era reforms to personnel recognition. Early recipients included sailors and marines attached to units like USS Enterprise (CVN-65), USS Forrestal (CV-59), and 1st Marine Division during deployments to areas of operation including Cuban Missile Crisis aftermath and escalating operations in South Vietnam. Changes in award policy over subsequent decades involved input from leaders at Naval Personnel Command, Marine Corps Systems Command, and the Bureau of Naval Personnel, aligning criteria with decorations such as the Navy Commendation Medal and influenced by directives from the Department of Defense. Notable administrative adjustments occurred during the All-Volunteer Force transition and post-9/11 operational expansions involving units like Carrier Strike Group Seven, II Marine Expeditionary Force, and reserve components such as United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Eligibility and Criteria
Eligibility extends to personnel assigned to commands under the Department of the Navy, including members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and, by authorization, attached personnel from services like the United States Coast Guard when operating under naval authority. The medal recognizes single acts of meritorious service, sustained performance, or leadership demonstrated aboard platforms such as USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), USS Nimitz (CVN-68), with units including 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and staffs at installations such as Naval Station Norfolk and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Award criteria reference conduct and achievements relevant to commands including Navy Expeditionary Combat Command and offices like Naval Air Systems Command, and may be recommended by commanders from squadron-level units such as VFA-103 and battalion-level commands like 1st Battalion, 6th Marines. Policy documents from Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and Commandant of the Marine Corps clarify distinctions between this medal and higher decorations such as the Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.
Appearance and Devices
The medal is a bronze disc featuring an anchor and laurel elements reflecting naval heritage, presented on a ribbon worn with devices to denote additional awards. Devices authorized for subsequent awards include the oak leaf cluster in variants used by sister services and the gold star (U.S. Navy), with wear governed by uniform regulations from Navy Personnel Command and Marine Corps Uniform Board. Specific devices indicative of combat or valor may be disallowed, distinguishing the medal from decorations like the Combat Action Ribbon or the Navy Cross; additional recognition for multiple awards is recorded in personnel systems managed by BUPERS and Manpower Management.
Awarding Process and Authority
Recommendations originate at unit levels—squadrons, ship commanding officers such as those aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), battalion commanders in units like 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, or staff officers at commands including Naval Surface Forces Atlantic. Approval authority varies by grade and command echelon and follows guidance set by the Secretary of the Navy and promulgated through OPNAV and CMC channels. Administrative processing uses forms and endorsements routed through offices like Personnel Support Detachment and recorded in databases maintained by Defense Manpower Data Center. Appeals and corrections may involve boards including Naval Board for Correction of Records and Board for Correction of Naval Records for cases referencing precedence or misapplication.
Notable Recipients
Recipients span a wide range of sailors and marines from leaders to decorated enlisted personnel. Prominent awardees include aviators assigned to Carrier Air Wing Five, commanders of amphibious units like USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), and individuals later recognized with senior decorations such as Admiral Mike Mullen and General James Mattis in their earlier careers. Other recipients have served in operations including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and humanitarian missions with commands like U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Central Command, and Joint Special Operations Command. Notable enlisted awardees have included members from SEAL Team Six, Marine Raider Regiment, and units attached to III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Precedence and Related Decorations
Within the hierarchy of United States naval and marine awards, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal ranks below the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and above unit awards such as the Navy Unit Commendation in practical wear conventions, with comparative placement guided by the Uniform Regulations of the Department of the Navy. It sits among other decorations including the Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, and service medals tied to campaigns like the Vietnam Service Medal and Iraq Campaign Medal. Cross-service equivalencies relate it to the Army Achievement Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal, while distinct devices and approval authorities differentiate it from awards such as the Navy Good Conduct Medal and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.