COAST GUARD GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL
                        

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY

The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal was established by Rear Admiral William F. Reynolds, Commandant of the Coast Guard, on May 18, 1921.

EFFECTIVE DATES

The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal has been awarded for qualifying service to enlisted members of the Coast Guard from May 17, 1920, to the present.

CRITERIA

The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal is awarded on a selective basis to enlisted members in the Regular Coast Guard or the Coast Guard Reserve for proficiency in rating, sobriety, obedience, industry, courage and neatness throughout a specified period of active military service (from May 17, 1920, to June 30, 1934, and from November 1, 1963, to December 31, 1979, the period of service was four years; for all other periods, including the present, it is three years).

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal is worn after the Prisoner of War Medal and before the Coast Guard Reserve Good Conduct Medal.

DEVICES
  • Bars
Subsequent entitlements were originally indicated by bars engraved in the same fashion as Navy Good Conduct Medal bars.
  • Bronze Stars
Bronze stars have been authorized for subsequent awards of the Good Conduct Medal made after January 1, 1966.

DESIGNER

The design of the Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal is based on the design of the Navy Good Conduct Medal, modified to reflect Coast Guard service.

DESCRIPTION AND SYMBOLISM

Obverse
  • First Style
> In the center of a bronze medallion one and a half inches in diameter, a ship is depicted sailing on water and is contained within a circle formed by a rope which is tied in the six o'clock position. Beneath the rope and ship are crossed oars, and forming a circle around the rope and the edge of the medal, a circle of chain. Between the circle of rope and chain, the words SEMPER PARATUS.

The ship is the Tampa, a Coast Guard cutter sunk on September 26, 1918, by a German submarine. All hands on the Tampa were lost. The Tampa thus represents the ultimate in "fidelity, zeal, and obedience." The oars represent the United States Lifesaving Service, which merged with the Revenue Cutter Service in 1915 to form the United States Coast Guard. The chain and rope are nautical devices that allude to sea service, while the words SEMPER PARATUS and means "Always Ready," which is the motto of the Coast Guard. The ribbon hangs from a squared bronze pinbar with the words U.S. COAST GUARD in the center, and the medal is connected to the ribbon by a straight suspension bar.
  • Second Style
In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, the Coast Guard seal is shown within a circle of rope. Beneath the seal and rope are crossed oars, and forming a circle around the rope and the edge of the medal, a circle of chain. Between the circle of rope and chain, the words SEMPER PARATUS.

The seal designates this medal as a Coast Guard award while the anchor chain and rope are nautical devices that allude to sea service. The Latin words SEMPER PARATUS means "Always Ready," the motto of the Coast Guard. This version was approved in 1961 and first awarded in 1963.
  • Third Style

  • The third style obverse is identical to the second style except that it is one and a half inches in diameter (see the comments below on the second style reverse).
Reverse
  • First Style

  • In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, a blank space is left for engraving the recipient's name inside a circle of rope. Forming a circle around the rope and following the contour of the medal, the words FIDELITY ZEAL OBEDIENCE. The rope is a symbol of sea service and the inscription identifies the qualities recognized by this medal. NOTE: This reverse was also used on the first type Good Conduct Medal.
  • Second Style

  • In 1999 the Coast Guard's Uniform Board revised the wording on the reverse so that it now says, HONOR RESPECT following the upper quadrant of the medal and DEVOTION TO DUTY following the contour of the bottom of the medal.


Ribbon



The ribbon to the Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal is Red with a white stripe in the center. This is the same ribbon as the one used by the Navy, with a white stripe to distinguish it as the Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal.

                        

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