Can somebody receive an Army Good Conduct Medal just for doing mission(s) with the Army?

2016-03-15T23:23:51-04:00

I have a friend who I met when I was a civilian many years ago. This man was in the air national guard. He deployed to Afghanistan. He was security forces. He has pictures in uniform, long time away from family, and no reason to doubt his story with exception to one. He talks about "doing an Army mission" and being awarded the army good conduct medal but only because it was an Army mission. Does anyone know if this is posible?

Response by CSM Carl Cunningham made Mar 15 at 2016 11:28 PM

2016-03-15T23:28:23-04:00

That is total BS! You are not going to recieve a GCM unless you served in the Army.

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Mar 15 at 2016 11:33 PM

2016-03-15T23:33:23-04:00

Good conduct medals are awarded to enlisted members who have the requisite number of years of good conduct...meaning no Non-judicial punishment or greater. It is awarded to the specific branch. for example, the Army GCM is red with white stripes on either end with subsequent awards designated by "knots". The USAF GCM is light blue with red, white and blue stripes on either end. Subsequent awards are awarded with olc (oak leaf cluster). They are allowed on each others uniform IF awarded while in the other branch. It is NOT awarded for participation in another branch mission. An award for participation in another branch mission can result in a medal award but more likely a joint service commendation medal.

Response by SFC William Farrell made Mar 16 at 2016 12:28 AM

2016-03-16T00:28:12-04:00

BS CPT Private RallyPoint Member. Stolen valor cases usually involved more than just a good conduct medal.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2016 12:48 AM

2016-03-16T00:48:14-04:00

Well, since it was an Army Mission and he was given the Army GCM, perhaps he can show you the DA 638..........or even the DA 4187...........showing he was awarded the Army GCM.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Mar 16 at 2016 12:58 AM

2016-03-16T00:58:32-04:00

Nope -- he would not receive a GCM if he wasn't in the Army. Does he have paperwork for this supposed award?

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2016 8:35 AM

2016-03-16T08:35:53-04:00

There are some awards that were "common" to some joint missions; I think someone already mentioned ISAF Article V. Title 32 of US Code does distinguish between the GCM and the Reserve Good Conduct Medal...I'm not an expert, but I'm not sure how/if an exception would be made-my assumption is it could not be so.

My guess is that your friend may have in fact served in the 'Stan as an IA, and may have worked in a unit under Army chain of command...an Army commander may have even pinned on the RGCM while they were in country...and in their mind at least, that may have been exaggerated into "receiving an Army Good Conduct Medal"

Probably BS, but I'd tread lightly; the hard but honest truth is that the IA program creates some confusing and "fuzzy" areas when it comes to claims of service. Though being 100% "Navy", I did serve under US Army commanders, participated in "traditional" US Army missions, and ended up "volunteering" for roles not expressly required-though not at the time restricted-of/to naval personnel in the AO. In the "early days" especially, commanders didn't have clear guidance on how best to use Navy, Air Force, and Reserve IA personnel, so if a gun was needed on a convoy...or in the tower...or to set up a perimeter, "warm bodies" did count more than MOS/designator or service branch in many cases. It is entirely conceivable that a member may have performed duties that warranted certain recognition had they been US Army...but that their parent service does not recognize. For example, the standards for the Combat Action Ribbon vs. the Combat Action Badge...and how the standards for the CAR changed in 2013. I participated in action that was NOT eligible for the Navy CAR in 2007 that arguably WOULD be eligible in 2013, and even more controversially could be used to submit US Army personnel for the CAB. I neither possess/claim either.

I still don't see how that changes the awards administrative process...nor how someone really "misunderstands" the very clear language on those pretty certificates (let alone their DD214)...but I'd give them the chance to admit their "mistake" or provide evidence to the contrary before claiming 'Stolen Valor'.

Response by SFC Thomas Howes made Mar 16 at 2016 10:00 AM

2016-03-16T10:00:53-04:00

dos not sound right to me LT

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2016 1:33 PM

2016-03-16T13:33:36-04:00

Absolutely not.
AR 600-8-22 para 4-2 clearly outlines who is eligible, and it is just Army Soldiers. Excerpt below:
4–2. Personnel eligible
a. Active component enlisted Soldiers.
b. Active Guard Reserve (AGR) enlisted personnel serving on extended periods of active duty (other than for training) under titles 10 and 32, USC are eligible for award of the AGCM for qualifying service beginning on or after 1 September 1982, provided no period of the service has been duplicated by the same period of service for which the Soldier has been awarded the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (ARCAM). The AGCM qualification period may commence anytime during the 3 years immediately preceding the 1 September 1982 effective date provided no portion of service for the AGCM is included in a period of service for which the ARCAM was awarded.
c. Retroactively to eligible Army of the United States (AUS) enlisted personnel.
d. Other Army enlisted personnel as may be directed by the Secretary of the Army.
e. Ready Reserve enlisted personnel ordered to active duty under title 10, USC.

"Doing the Army mission" doesn't cut it.

Response by SSG Brian Kresge made Mar 16 at 2016 4:20 PM

2016-03-16T16:20:05-04:00

Maybe he's just confused about the name of the award? I don't spend a lot of time worrying about other branch awards and if I were ever awarded one, I might well be like "I got the Navy smells like teen spirit medal" when talking to people about it, unless I had the citation right in front of me.

I like giving service members the benefit of the doubt, especially when it's just one award.

Response by SMSgt David Popwell made Mar 16 at 2016 4:55 PM

2016-03-16T16:55:10-04:00

He could have received an ARCOM it most likely would have been re-submit under his AF chain as an AF Com. I do know of some one who has a Joint MSM for actions while assigned to another service. TACPs in the AF are normally assigned to Army units and as such may be eligable

Response by SrA Paul Pfeil made Mar 16 at 2016 4:58 PM

2016-03-16T16:58:48-04:00

Those of you that say stolen valor, you ARE WRONG. READ FOR YOURSELVES.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.afpc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp%3Fid%3D7791&ved=0ahUKEwj0oPu7iMbLAhUD7D4KHRjEBdkQFggpMAQ&usg=AFQjCNGp13TWKhAgIUzujnUekMK5YYwERw&sig2=2pHelgvh8gwKi42ak66ELQ

Response by Sgt Robert Rivard made Mar 16 at 2016 5:00 PM

2016-03-16T17:00:19-04:00

Never heard of that one!!!

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2016 6:37 PM

2016-03-16T18:37:38-04:00

I have an ARCOM for participating in Army operations, but never will they give a "Good Conduct Medal" for it. Per AR 600-8-22, the only people eligible for it are Soldiers. Your friend needs to fess up before he gets himself in any further trouble.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Mar 17 at 2016 2:47 AM

2016-03-17T02:47:27-04:00

had a co-worker who was USAF in vietnam, mike was a smart guy, but had a way of being convinced by idiots with conviction - saw his class A picture with CIB and Air Crew Badge above the CIB, when the Nat'l Guard said show the orders, he took them off. I heard his stories of them, the Air Crew Badge was a sorta honorary 'door gunner' badge that he thought was real. the CIB was a formation where they grabbed extra people to make the photo larger, and he thought that was real too. Later stuff in his life where he let the flat-earthers convince him

Response by TSgt Marco McDowell made Mar 17 at 2016 6:04 AM

2016-03-17T06:04:19-04:00

Possibility that an Army award was "translated" incorrectly by the ANG. I've had a few that the AF reimagined as a equivalent decoration...until I showed them my 214. I let them know that you cannot convert a Marine Corps ribbon into an Air Force one...then they promptly gave me an Air Force basic training one because I'd look "weird" not having it in my stack hahaha. Tell him to make sure it wasn't entered incorrectly.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2016 11:18 AM

2016-03-17T11:18:14-04:00

GCM is awarded for every three years in service with good conduct. And nothing else.

Response by SGT Barry Third made Mar 17 at 2016 4:17 PM

2016-03-17T16:17:09-04:00

NOT CORRECT at ALL the army good conduct medal is awarded for 3 years of good conduct and every 3 years there after ,, so i say BS

Response by LTJG Michael Douglas made Mar 17 at 2016 4:46 PM

2016-03-17T16:46:56-04:00

The criteria for a Good Conduct Medal is defined by Executive Orders 8809, 9323, and 10444. The medal is awarded to any active-duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honorable and faithful service". Such service implies that a standard enlistment was completed without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offenses. If a service member commits an offense, the three-year mark "resets" and a service member must perform an additional three years of service without having to be disciplined, before the Good Conduct may be authorized.[1][2]

During times of war, the Good Conduct Medal may be awarded for one year of faithful service. The Good Conduct Medal may also be awarded posthumously, to any service member killed in the line of duty.

Reserve Components Edit
Service for the Good Conduct Medal must be performed on active duty; it is not awarded to enlisted members of the military reserve or National Guard for reserve duty (though reservists are eligible if they complete sufficient active service). The various services have established separate Reserve Good Conduct Medals, albeit under various names, as a comparable award available to enlisted Reserve and National Guard members who satisfactorily perform annual training, drill duty and any additional active duty of less than 3 consecutive years duration. The exception is the Navy Reserve which discontinued the award as of 1 January 2014.[3] Navy Reservists now earn time towards the Navy Good Conduct medal, and any time previously earned towards an unawarded Reserve Good Conduct Medal is automatically carried over to the Navy Good Conduct Medal.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2016 1:44 PM

2016-03-22T13:44:16-04:00

Sounds sketchy to me. I've deployed with Army units but only qualify for good conduct through my own service branch. I have received personal awards from other service branches but "good conduct" is an award from the service branch you are a member of.

Response by PO1 Dave Porter made Mar 23 at 2016 7:42 AM

2016-03-23T07:42:01-04:00

Good conduct awards, from what I remember in my Air Force and Coast Guard days, are awarded for time served (3 yrs?) while keeping your nose clean, so to speak. You don't get one for a mission. I would say that raises a red flag about his story

Response by PO1 Dave Porter made Mar 23 at 2016 7:43 AM

2016-03-23T07:43:42-04:00

Good conduct awards are specific to the service you are in. I have Air Force and Coast Guard, being that I spent 6 year active in AF and then 14 yrs Active USCG. This pegs my bullcrap meter. I am thinking poser.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 23 at 2016 7:50 AM

2016-03-23T07:50:42-04:00

Just a point of information. At one time the Air Force did not have a good contact medal. I believe the Army good conduct medal was issued. The Air Force good conduct medal was first issued in 1963 (if my memory serves me correctly) I do know I was one of the first to receive it, and in OTS I had an upper classman threaten to gig me because I had one with an oak leaf cluster. He said that was not possible. That was in 1967.

So, I think if the "long time ago" was, in fact, long enough ago, this could be correct.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 23 at 2016 8:03 AM

2016-03-23T08:03:20-04:00

Per regulation, you need 3 years of Active Federal service to qualify. Even someone who has 20 years and retires can not get that 7th GCM

Response by SPC Rick LaBonte made Mar 30 at 2016 11:48 AM

2016-03-30T11:48:31-04:00

The Army Achievement Medal would be more likely and believable, I had three years without disciplinary action to get my Good Conduct, but received three AAM's before that: two from units I supported as part of two seperate support teams, and one for conduct at a Ft Irwin training excersize, the latter one I viewed as kind of lame at the time but my point is the AAM has broader issuing potential

Response by SPC Herold Bush made Jan 6 at 2017 6:17 PM

2017-01-06T18:17:41-05:00

Is it possible he misspoke and meant an AAM or ARCOM , maybe you could look at his fruit salad and see what he has?

Response by TSgt Kerry Hardy made Jan 6 at 2017 7:01 PM

2017-01-06T19:01:46-05:00

You can only receive the GCM for the service you serve in. Other medals can be award cross services but not GCM....

Response by SFC Dave Beran made Jan 6 at 2017 11:34 PM

2017-01-06T23:34:48-05:00

Good Conduct Medal is awarded for 3 years of Honorable Service. Never heard if it being awarded for a mission. Army Achievement Medal maybe.

Response by SSG Johnnie Vaughn made Jan 7 at 2017 8:26 AM

2017-01-07T08:26:27-05:00

Somebody somewhere, made an administrative error but this isn't a case of "stolen valor" (which gets used WAY too often these days...)

There are two different dimensions interacting in today's military universe:
A. The "authorized" world of regulations, and
B. The real world of human error.

Dimension A can be often confusing enough in a homogeneous environment. Now consider today's deployment mix.
*Regular Army
-Army Reserves
-Army National Guard
*Air Force
-Air Force Reserves
-Air National Guard
Marines
-Marine Reserves
*Navy
-Navy Reserves
*The Alphabet Squadron of Joint Mish-mash
* The other group I missed, but not intentionally

Point 1: Nobody smart enough to join the Air Force is going to select an Army Good Conduct Medal as their point of bragging rights. The logical conclusion is that someone made a typo on some paperwork, and this service member really believes he is authorized this medal.

Point 2: You are going to see more of this in the future. Even that soldier-sailor-airman-marine who only did one or two enlistments will someday realize that he/she did something, and was a part of something, that most people will never experience. Records get retrieved for shadow boxes... and SOME of those records are going to have some weird things in them that don't make sense in Dimension A.

Response by SSG Stephan Pendarvis made Jan 9 at 2017 3:42 PM

2017-01-09T15:42:55-05:00

Does not sound right....GCMs are given every 3 years...basically a thanks for keeping your nose clean and showing up. GCMs are given to nearly every soldier. He should have gotten something else.... Maybe he is mistaken on the medal possibly. Unless he did not get anything and his time there was coincidental with his 3 year mark for the GCM.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 7:03 PM

2018-03-07T19:03:02-05:00

If he has orders for it then some commander out there hooked him up. You have to be in the Army to be authorized to be awarded the Army GCM. About three years ago I saw where a US Public Health Service Officer was awarded several Army awards by a DC National Guard (CPT) commander fraudulently- clearly hooking up a drinking buddy. Army Service Ribbon and such. Total joke. Not like the DC Guard cared but it happens.

Response by 1SG John Millan made Feb 23 at 2024 1:21 PM

2024-02-23T13:21:41-05:00

If you serve over one year as an activated reserve component soldier, with a good record, you are eligible for ONE GCM.