United States Army Captain Connor Thomas, founder of the My GI Foundation,  received a Army Achievement Medal for service as the OIC for a brigade-wide operation. The Army Achievement Medal (AAM) is granted to personnel for outstanding achievement or meritorious service not of a nature that merits the Commendation Medal. The AAM is commonly only given to officers in the pay grade of O-4 and below, as well as enlisted service members below the grade of E-7. The AAM can be granted in a combat area, but for non-combat meritorious service. The Achievement Medal is the lesser of the U.S. military's meritorious service medals, it was also first introduced as a means to recognize the contributions of enlisted personnel and junior officers who were not qualified to receive the higher Commenda
tion Medal or t
he Meritorious Service Medal. Captain Thomas has earned three Army Achievement Medals and these  additional awards are denoted by oak leaf clusters.