Awards, Medals and Ribbons

NMSA 1978 ch. 20, art. 10

in effect

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-1 Awards authorized

20-10-1. Awards authorized There are established and authorized within Chapter 20, Article 10 NMSA 1978 awards for presentation to units and members of the national guard and the New Mexico state defense force and, where indicated, for presentation to other persons for recognized service to the national guard or New Mexico state defense force, to the state or to the United States. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-1, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 63.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-2 Awards boards

20-10-2. Awards boards A. The adjutant general shall appoint the members of awards boards for the army national guard and the air national guard, which shall each meet not less than quarterly to review recommendations for state and federal awards and decorations submitted by their respective unit commanders and others. The army national guard awards board shall also review and act on recommendations for such awards and decorations relating to the state defense force and shall include one or more members of the state defense force appointed by the adjutant general whenever considering such matters. B. The adjutant general may by regulation delegate award authority to battalion commanders, group commanders, or equivalent, of the national guard, for members of their command, for the following awards and their subsequent devices: (1) such United States awards and decorations as are permitted to be so delegated in United States military regulations; (2) the outstanding service medal; (3) the long service medal; (4) the good conduct medal; and (5) the perfect attendance ribbon. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-2, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 64.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-3 Awards fund

20-10-3. Awards fund There is established an awards fund which shall be under the control of the adjutant general, the military personnel officers of the army and air national guard, and the director of the state programs office of the department of military affairs. The awards fund shall promptly arrange for suitable presentations to award recipients. The fund is authorized to make such reasonable expenditures from sources provided or authorized so as to procure and distribute state medals, ribbons and devices consistent with Chapter 20, Article 10 NMSA 1978. The fund shall procure sufficient quantitites [quantities] of awards to allow recipients to purchase from the board replacements for lost or soiled awards. The fund may charge a reasonable sum for replacement or miniature awards, with proceeds being retained in the awards fund for future procurement of awards. Moneys in the awards fund shall be maintained in a checking account and shall not revert annually to the state treasury. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-3, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 65.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-4 Order of precedence

20-10-4. Order of precedence The rank order of precedence of awards is their order of appearance in Chapter 20, Article 10 NMSA 1978. In the wearing or display of awards, the precedence afforded the awards and decorations of the United States, of other nations and of state national guards will be observed; military awards of other states may be worn commensurate with those authorized in Chapter 20, Article 10 NMSA 1978, in reasonable order of precedence. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-4, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 66.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-5 Medal of valor with palm

20-10-5. Medal of valor with palm The governor may award a medal of valor with palm and with accompanying ribbon to any member of the national guard or state defense force who distinguishes himself by an extraordinary act of personal bravery and heroism, at the risk of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-5, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 67.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-6 Medal of valor

20-10-6. Medal of valor The governor may award a medal of valor with accompanying ribbon to any member of the national guard or state defense force who distinguishes himself by an uncommon act of valor, not necessarily at the risk of his own life, under circumstances where refraining from so acting would not have subjected the recipient to criticism. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-6, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 68.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-7 Special MacArthur service medal

20-10-7. Special MacArthur service medal The special MacArthur service medal has been given with appreciation to known members or their survivors of the 200th coast artillery who were residents of the state at the time they entered the services of the United States and served under General Douglas MacArthur in the Philippine islands. It may be awarded to later-discovered eligible veterans or their survivors by the adjutant general. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-7, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 69.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-8 Distinguished service medal

20-10-8. Distinguished service medal The governor may award a distinguished service medal with accompanying ribbon to any member of the national guard or state defense force who distinguishes himself by an unselfish, untiring and exceptionally meritorious period of service or act resulting in extraordinary benefit to the state or to the United States. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-8, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 70.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-9 Medal of merit

20-10-9. Medal of merit The adjutant general may award a medal of merit with accompanying ribbon to any person who, while serving in any capacity with or in the national guard or state defense force, shall render prolonged and meritorious service to the state or the United States. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-9, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 71.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-9.1 Cold war medal

20-10-9.1. Cold war medal The New Mexico state defense force commander may award the New Mexico state defense force cold war medal to a member of the state defense force who has received a cold war recognition certificate. The cold war recognition certificate recognizes all members of the armed forces and qualified federal government civilian personnel who faithfully and honorably served the United States during the cold war era from September 2, 1945 to December 26, 1991. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-9.1, enacted by Laws 2016, ch. 6, § 1.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-9.2 Outstanding enlisted leader of the year ribbon

20-10-9.2. Outstanding enlisted leader of the year ribbon The adjutant general may award the outstanding enlisted leader of the year ribbon to a member of the national guard of New Mexico who has been officially selected as the New Mexico outstanding soldier of the year, airman of the year or first sergeant of the year. This ribbon is established to recognize those members who have performed above and beyond their peer group in their profession, on- or off-duty, and in their communities, reflecting great credit upon themselves and the national guard within the calendar year of the award. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-9.2, enacted by Laws 2016, ch. 6, § 2.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-10 Outstanding service medal

20-10-10. Outstanding service medal The adjutant general may award an outstanding service medal with accompanying ribbon to any person who, while serving in any capacity with or as a member of the national guard or state defense force, performs the service required or requested of him through the exertion of extra effort and in a manner that brings credit to himself, to his unit and to the state, either over a period of time or on a specific occasion. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-10, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 72.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-11 Outstanding unit citation

20-10-11. Outstanding unit citation The governor may award an outstanding unit citation of appropriate design with accompanying individual ribbon to any recognized unit of the national guard or state defense force which, through outstanding effort of all its members, has excelled in the performance of its duty and mission for a period of service in a manner that clearly exceeds that of other units, within or without the state, similar in composition or mission. In extraordinary circumstances a "V" device may be awarded to denote valor exemplified by the unit. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-11, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 73.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-12.1 Emergency service ribbon

20-10-12.1. Emergency service ribbon The adjutant general shall award the emergency service ribbon to any member of the New Mexico national guard who, after January 1, 2000, honorably performs duty when an emergency situation has been declared by the governor. The duty must be in direct support of the declared state of emergency and the guardmember must be in duty status, on orders in either pay or non-pay status, at the time the service is rendered. Laws 2002, ch. 44, § 1.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-12.2 Counter-drug service ribbon

20-10-12.2. Counter-drug service ribbon The adjutant general may award the counter-drug service ribbon to recognize soldiers and airmen of the national guard of New Mexico who have provided outstanding support to state, local and federal law enforcement officers on counter-drug operations in New Mexico since August 1989 and have served a minimum of ninety consecutive days performing counter-drug support missions in accordance with national guard regulations. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-12.2, enacted by Laws 2016, ch. 6, § 3.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-12.3 Community service ribbon

20-10-12.3. Community service ribbon The adjutant general may award the community service ribbon to a member of the national guard of New Mexico or New Mexico state defense force for substantial or particularly meaningful community service above and beyond the duties required. A member's community service must contribute to the well-being of the civilian community, including the military family community. Service must be significant in nature and produce tangible results. There is not a specific time period of community service that must be performed to qualify for the award. Actions performed in accordance with regular duty requirements are not to be considered for the award. Community service may not result in a personal gain for the service member. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-12.3, enacted by Laws 2016, ch. 6, § 4.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-12.4 Physical fitness ribbon

20-10-12.4. Physical fitness ribbon A. The adjutant general may present a physical fitness ribbon to a currently assigned member of the national guard of New Mexico who: (1) scores two hundred seventy or above for three consecutive years when taking all components of the army physical fitness training and meets the body fat standards for official record; or (2) scores ninety or above for three consecutive years when taking all components of the air force fitness assessment for official record. B. Subsequent three-year periods of service shall be acknowledged by the presentation and wearing of an affixed device signifying in arabic numerals the number of such awards to the member. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-12.4, enacted by Laws 2016, ch. 6, § 5.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-12.5 Service ribbon and long-service medal

20-10-12.5. Service ribbon and long-service medal A. The adjutant general shall present a service ribbon to those members of the national guard and state defense force who have completed five years of honorable service in the national guard or state defense force. This service ribbon shall be of identical design to the ribbon of the long service medal. B. The adjutant general shall present a long service medal to those members of the national guard and state defense force who have completed ten years of honorable service in either the national guard or the state defense force. The medal and accompanying ribbon shall have an appropriate numeral device affixed signifying total years of service beyond ten in increments of five. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-12, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 74; recompiled as § 20-10-12.5 by Laws 2016, ch. 6, § 6.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-13 Good conduct medal

20-10-13. Good conduct medal The adjutant general may award a good conduct medal with accompanying ribbon to any enlisted member of the national guard or state defense force who completes a three-year period of service free from unauthorized absence, reprimand, court-martial or other disciplinary action and free from any civilian conviction. Subsequent three-year periods of service shall be acknowledged by the presentation and wearing of an affixed device signifying in arabic numerals the number of such awards to the member. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-13, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 75.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-14 Perfect attendance ribbon

20-10-14. Perfect attendance ribbon The adjutant general may present a perfect attendance ribbon to those members commissioned, warranted and enlisted of the national guard or state defense force who for the calendar year have had a perfect drill and annual training attendance. Unit commanders shall forward a list of all qualifying nominees to the awards board each January for the preceding calendar year. Subsequent annual periods of service shall be acknowledged by the presentation and wearing of an affixed device signifying in arabic numerals the number of such awards to the member. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-14, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 76.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-15 Academy service ribbon

20-10-15. Academy service ribbon The adjutant general may present an academy service ribbon to those enlisted members of the national guard or state defense force who have successfully completed a noncommissioned officer educational system course or noncommissioned officer academy. An arabic numeral shall reflect successful completion of higher level courses. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-15, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 77.

NMSA 1978, § 20-10-16 Devices

20-10-16. Devices A. Except as specifically stated above, the second and subsequent award of any medal shall be noted by written citation and by presentation and wearing of a bronze oak leaf cluster in lieu of a second or subsequent medal. A silver oak leaf cluster shall substitute for five bronze oak leaf clusters. B. All medals awarded may be worn on military ceremonial or mess uniforms in miniature format, which shall be procured by the awards fund and shall be available for purchase by recipients. 1978 Comp., § 20-10-16, enacted by Laws 1987, ch. 318, § 78.

Source: New Mexico Compilation Commission (nmonesource.com)URL: https://nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa-unanno/en/item/18520/index.doFetched: 10/20/2026