Awarded for meritorious service, the service must be outstanding and worthy of special recognition.  The award may cover an extended period of time during which a higher award may have been recommended or received for specific act(s). The criteria, however, should not be the period of service involved, but rather the circumstances and conditions under which the service was performed. The performance should be well above that usually expected of an individual commensurate with the individual's grade or rate, and above that degree of excellence which can be appropriately reflected in the individual's fitness report or personnel records.