Air Force no longer has a good conduct medal!

[gjones]

From the Air Force Personnel Center website:

The Air Force Good Conduct Medal was discontinued on 6 February 2006 per the 97th Uniform Board by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Individuals will continue to wear those previously earned and a matter of record.

Not only does the Air Force not have an honorable discharge lapel pin, now it doesn't even have a good conduct medal and all the other services still do?!!! WTFO!

If anything I could see maybe getting rid of the ribbon only Air Force Longevity Service Award, but the good conduct?! Come on.

[PA-SGT]

I read about it in the AF Times, apparently they said it had lost its meaning and something about good conduct was something expected and should not be rewarded or something like that. It did state that if you have already been awarded it that you can continue to wear it. But I agree it does suck

PA-Sgt

[wolves69]

Correct on all counts. The choice to eliminate the AFGCM was a bad one and IAW current memos, those members awarded the AFGCM can continue to wear it.

I did have the opportunity to talk to a member of the board who was a dissenting on this matter, some of the reasons for eliminating the award: lost its meaning, too costly, and talk concerning eliminating the AFLA stopped since its awarded to officers and enlisted.

I've seen many people never get awarded the AFGM (or device) for doing somthing wrong, so it hasn't lost its meaning.

If the AF wanted to get rid of useless awards...JMHO
1. Eliminate the AFLA
2. Combine the Overseas tour ribbons (or use numerals...left for short, right for long)
3. Eliminate the NCO Leadership Ribbon (its mandatory in most cases and if complted, it is listed on the promotion sheets)
4. Combine the AFOUA/AFOEA its the same critera for award, but one is for numbered units and the other for un-numbered (HQ) units.
5. Better yet, eliminate the unit awards all together. They don't count towards promotion (at least enlisted promotions).

For discussion...the AF added two more unit awards...one is called the Meritorious Unit Award (MUA) and the other the Galant Unit Award (I think). If we are bucking the trend of not following other services, why are we imitating the Army?