The Air Force was the last of the five U. S. Military branches to establish a Good Conduct Medal. These Air Force ribbons and medals were authorized by Congress on July 6, 1960, but not created until June of 1963. Previously, between 1947 and 1963, the Air Force issued its personnel Army Good Conduct Medals, and airmen serving since before 1963 may wear both simultaneously. While the Air Force medals are the same as the Army version, the Air Force ribbons are different from the Army version. The Air Force has frequently seemed ambivalent toward the Good Conduct Medal. In addition to being the last to create one, they also discontinued it for three years between 2006 and 2009, apparently feeling that Air Force personnel were expected to behave well during their tours of duty, so why issue an Air Force decoration that honored what they considered normal behavior. However, since some Air Force personnel inevitably mess up, these military decorations were reestablished to reward those who did not.

The Air Force Good Conduct Medal is currently awarded to enlisted personnel during a three-year period of active military service or for a one-year period of service during a time of war. Airmen presented these military awards must have had character and efficiency ratings of excellent or higher throughout the qualifying period including time spent in attendance at service schools, and there must have been no convictions of court martial during this period.
The Air Force Good Conduct Medal is worn just below the Prisoner of War Medal and just above the Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal in the general order of precedence for all Air Force military medals. Additional awards of the Air Force Good Conduct Medal are denoted by Oak Leaf Clusters worn on the ribbons.
The Air Force Good Conduct Medal is commonly available as Air Force medals, ribbons, and lapel pins among the more readily available forms. These Air Force decorations can be worn as slide-on military medals and mini medals, slide-on military ribbons, and the newer and more generally desirable ultra thin military medals, mini medals and ribbons which create such a smart, sleek look on the uniforms of so many of today’s military personnel.