The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service Medal. Award authority rests with local commanders, granting a broad discretion of when and for what action the Achievement Medal may be awarded.
Each military service issues its own version of the Achievement Medal, with a fifth version authorized by the U.S. Department of Defense for joint military activity. The United States Coast Guard created its own Achievement Medal in 1967.