Accumulated Campaign Service Medal

Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
Obverse and reverse of the medal on the first version ribbon
Awarded by UK and Commonwealth
Type	Long Service Medal
Eligibility	British and Commonwealth forces
Awarded for	36 months of campaign service, 24 months to those personnel serving on or after 1 January 2008
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)
100px First version ribbon bar Second version ribbon bar

The Accumulated Campaign Service Medal, instituted January 1994, is for "long service on campaign" and recognizes repeat operational service. Originally it recognized 1,080 days of cumulative campaign service. After 1 July 2011, the service requirement was reduced to 720 days.

Description

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. Both Medals are solid silver 995/1000, but only the original ACSM was hallmarked on the rim of the medal next to the neck of the suspension bar.

Bars

A silver coloured laurel leaf bar is awarded for each additional 1080 days Operational Service, or 720 days under the 2011 requirements.

Criteria

Original criteria

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 14 August 1969. Part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment need only complete 1,000 days. 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.

After January 2008

The Queen approved 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) that came into force on 1 July 2011. 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 of approved operational service. A month is defined as 30 days and part-months may be accumulated.

External links

• Shire Books - British Campaign Medals 1914-2005
• Defence Instructions and Notices Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 2011 (ACSM 11)ACSM 2011 DIN (2011DIN09-008)