How to Display the 7th Award on an Army Achievement Medal

The Army Achievement Medal (AAM), awarded for exceptional achievements during times of both war and peace, can be worn as an actual medal or as a ribbon on dress uniforms. The ribbon consists of two thin, green stripes on each side of two thick, blue stripes. Each stripe is separated by a thin white line. While the only way to display seven AAMs when wearing the medal is to wear all seven medals, subsequent AAMs are denoted by attaching oak leaf cluster appurtenances to the ribbon. Section 29-2 of Army Regulation 670-1 governs the wear of appurtenances on Army ribbons.

Place the AAM horizontally on a flat surface. Face the stripes up and down as you look at the ribbon to ensure it is horizontal. Look at the two blue stripes in the center of the ribbon and gauge what appears to be the center of each.

Align the silver oak leaf cluster. Touch the top corner of the oak leaf cluster to the inside edge of the blue stripe on the left. Center the oak leaf cluster between the top and the bottom of the ribbon and turn it so the stem is at a 45-degree angle to the leaves (down and to the left). Press the silver oak leaf cluster into the ribbon in that position.

Place the bronze oak leaf cluster in the blue stripe on the right. Align the stem of the bronze oak leaf cluster with the stem of the silver oak leaf cluster you already attached. Touch the stem of the bronze oak leaf cluster to the inside edge of the blue stripe on the right and turn it so the leaves are at a 45-degree angle to the stem (up and to the right). Press the oak leaf cluster into the ribbon in that position.

Hold the ribbon at arm's length and examine it. The silver oak leaf cluster must be inside the blue stripe on the left, and the bronze oak leaf cluster must be inside the blue stripe on the right. The leaves of each oak leaf cluster must be pointing upward at a 45-degree angle. The ribbon itself stands for the first AAM awarded, the silver oak leaf cluster denotes five AAMs, and the bronze oak leaf cluster indicates one additional award.