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Air Force Good Conduct Medal

The Air Force was the last of the five U. S. Military branches to add a Good Conduct Medal to their entries in the hallowed halls of the medals of America. These US military 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 medals 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 ribbons and medals 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 that has been established for the proper display of all Air Force military medals and ribbons. 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 and slide-on military ribbons. In more recent times the sleek new thin military medals, mini-medals and the ultra thin military ribbons have garnered a wide following with military personnel who have realized the importance of always looking their best to enhance their chances of advancement in their respective military services.