Army Good Conduct Medal.

[S.ChrisKelly]

At some point, the Army GCM was awarded, first award only, for one year of honorable active service.  Initially 1941-1945/46?.  At some point, it reverted back to the original once-every-three-years regulation.  However, I did hear that the first award was again given routinely for one year, sometime 1950 - 1960, one famous case being Elvis Presley.  Anyone know anything more about the award of the GCM, specifically the at-least-one-but-less-than-three-years practice?

[Linedoggie]

1 hour ago, S.ChrisKelly said:

At some point, the Army GCM was awarded, first award only, for one year of honorable active service.  Initially 1941-1945/46?.  At some point, it reverted back to the original once-every-three-years regulation.  However, I did hear that the first award was again given routinely for one year, sometime 1950 - 1960, one famous case being Elvis Presley.  Anyone know anything more about the award of the GCM, specifically the at-least-one-but-less-than-three-years practice?

Since at least the Korean war it can be awarded for less than 3 years service as a first award.  I have a family member awarded one for service 1956-58 in West Germany

 

From AR600-8-22 pg 69

 

 

[Unicorn]

The first award is either three years OR completion of your contract. So someone who enlisted in the Army in the 90s for 2 years 16 weeks received it at ETS. It's also how National Guard and Reserves received it after a year or so of being federally activated for deployment or stateside service.

[patches]

After the in  in the regs, 27 June 1950 (the start of the Korean War) , you got one "if less then 3 Years but more then 1 year", this covers the two year draftee throughout the 50s into the early 70s when the draft ended, to include the Korean and later Vietnam Wars, even if you were a draftee say in the Vietnam Era, and never went over there, said man was say stationed first in Panama, then Ft Rucker.