This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Laboratory to recognize contributions in mission operations. The medal recognizes exceptional operational achievements that have impacted the success of the Laboratory. The award may be for a specific major accomplishment or for sustained, distinguished performance. Nominees/awardees must be current Laboratory employees. The medal will generally not be awarded posthumously, except under extraordinary circumstances. Likewise, team awards will generally be considered only on rare occasions. The intent is not to honor every contributor who made an achievement possible, but rather to recognize the specific contributions that made a successful and extraordinary outcome possible.