Air Force Good Conduct Medal

Established on June 1, 1963, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal (AFGCM) is a bronze decoration awarded to enlisted members of the United States Air Force who demonstrate exemplary conduct, efficiency, and fidelity. To earn the medal, an Airman must complete three years of continuous active service (or one year during wartime) while maintaining a clean disciplinary record free of Non-Judicial Punishment or legal infractions. The medal’s design features an American eagle perched upon a closed book and a Roman sword, encircled by the words "Efficiency, Honor, Fidelity," and is suspended from a sky-blue ribbon with red, white, and dark blue edges. Although briefly discontinued in 2006, the award was reinstated in 2009 due to its significance to the enlisted force, and subsequent periods of qualifying service are now recognized through the use of bronze and silver Oak Leaf Clusters.