| Accumulated Campaign Service Medal | |
|---|---|
Obverse and reverse of the medal on the first version ribbon |
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| Awarded by UK and Commonwealth | |
| Type | Campaign medal |
| Eligibility | British and Commonwealth forces |
| Awarded for | 36 months of campaign service |
| Campaign | Southern Rhodesia, Northern Ireland |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Description | Silver, 36mm diameter |
| Statistics | |
| Established | January 1994 Amended 1 July 2011 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom) |
| Next (lower) | Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Army) |
| Related | General Service Medal (1962) |
First version ribbon bar Second version ribbon bar |
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The Accumulated Campaign Service Medal, instituted January 1994, is for "long service on campaign" and recognizes repeat operational service. Originally it recognized 1080 days of cumulative campaign service.[1] After 1 July 2011, the service requirement was reduced to 720 days.[2]
Contents |
The obverse carries the Jubilee head effigy of Elizabeth II and her titles. On the reverse has a spray of oak and laurel branches with the words "FOR ACCUMULATED CAMPAIGN SERVICE". The Ribbon is that of the GSM 1962 with an added central gold stripe. The second version uses the same medal, but with a ribbon with two central gold stripes.
A silver colored laurel leaf bar is awarded for each additional 1080 days Operational Service, or 720 days under the 2011 requirements.[2]
It was originally granted to those holders of the General Service Medal (1962) who have completed an accumulated operational service of thirty-six months since 14th August 1969[3]. Part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment need only complete 1,000 days[4]. Its purpose was to reward those who had done multiple tours of duty in Northern Ireland but who would have only the GSM 1962 medal with the Northern Ireland clasp, to show for all their service.[1]
Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve an amendment to the qualifying criteria for the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal (ACSM) for members of the Armed Forces, MoD Civil Servants, and Contractors on Deployed Operations (CONDO). This amendment came into force on 01 Jul 11. To be awarded the ACSM 11, an individual must hold a qualifying operational medal as listed in Para 4 of DIN985_2011-08, other specifically designated multi-national campaign medals and have completed more than 24 months (720 days) campaign service. Bars are to be awarded for each additional period of 720 days approved operational service. A month is defined as 30 days and part-months may be accumulated. This award is available only to those personnel serving on or after 1st January 2008, so those who served in Northern Ireland for 720 days but fewer than 1080 days during the height of the troubles in the 1970s fail to qualify, almost without exception, for either ACSM; not many of them will have still been serving on 1st January 2008! [2]