How to Receive an Army Commendation Medal

Being awarded a medal while serving in the Army means that at some point in his career, a soldier has gone above and beyond what he was expected to do. There are many different medals that can be awarded and the level of prestige associated with each one reflects the meritorious conduct of the soldier. In order to earn an Army Commendation Medal, a soldier must have accomplished something that took an unusual amount of motivation, courage, persistence and/or devotion with respect to his assigned rank and responsibilities.

Know the official criteria for being awarded an ARCOM (Army Commendation Medal) as stated in Army regulation 600-8-22. According to this regulation, a soldier who is eligible for an ARCOM "distinguishes himself or herself by heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service."

Choose to be the best at a specific job during a specific time. An award can only be earned for a certain event, not a general behavior. This means that being a hard worker all the time is not enough to earn an ARCOM. You must demonstrate you performed well above average at a specific job or during a specific event. Examples include successfully taking charge of a job two levels above your own during an entire deployment, or consistently managing inventories in your company which result in a 100% compliance during quarterly inspections.

Make sure your efforts get noticed. You can be recommended for any award by any other military member. It is best to make sure your direct supervisors take notice of your above-average achievement and don't be shy about asking them to recommend you for an ARCOM.