Approval authority for the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) is typically by which rank?

Approval authority for the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) is typically by which rank?

• A. Major General and above
• B. Brigadier General and above
• C. Colonel and above
• D. Lieutenant General and above

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that the level of approval authority for Army decorations rises with the significance of the award, so a senior commander must sign off on it to maintain its prestige and ensure proper merit review. The Army Commendation Medal recognizes meritorious service or achievement and is typically approved by someone at a colonel rank or higher. This intermediate level of authority fits the award’s stature: high enough to ensure careful consideration, but not so high as to require a general officer for every case. In practice, many ARCOMs are approved by colonels or other senior officers, depending on the unit structure and the situation. Options that call for approval by a brigadier general, major general, or lieutenant general would be more appropriate for higher-level decorations, not the ARCOM, so they’re not the usual path for this award.

The main idea is that the level of approval authority for Army decorations rises with the significance of the award, so a senior commander must sign off on it to maintain its prestige and ensure proper merit review.

The Army Commendation Medal recognizes meritorious service or achievement and is typically approved by someone at a colonel rank or higher. This intermediate level of authority fits the award’s stature: high enough to ensure careful consideration, but not so high as to require a general officer for every case. In practice, many ARCOMs are approved by colonels or other senior officers, depending on the unit structure and the situation.

Options that call for approval by a brigadier general, major general, or lieutenant general would be more appropriate for higher-level decorations, not the ARCOM, so they’re not the usual path for this award.