The Intelligence Medal of Merit is awarded by the Central Intelligence Agency

Central Intelligence Agency

The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...

 for performance of especially meritorious service or for achievement conspicuously above normal duties.

Notable Recipients

• Robert Schaller
• Stephen Kasarda
• Jerome Calloway
• Richard G. Fecteau
• Gust Avrakotos
  Gust Avrakotos
  Gustav Lascaris "Gust" Avrakotos was an American case officer and Afghan Task Force Chief for the United States Central Intelligence Agency....
  
  
• Charles Wilson, first civilian to win the Medal
• Al Ulmer
  Al Ulmer
  Alfred Ulmer was born in Jacksonville, Florida in August 1916. He was of Swiss extraction on his father's side, his father having been born in Zurich. Ulmer graduated from Princeton University in 1939 and joined the United States Navy prior to the start of World War II, ultimately becoming a major...
  
  
• Harry E. Mason

Trivia

CIA medals are often referred to as "jock strap medals" since they are often awarded secretly (due to the classification level of the respective operation) and cannot be displayed, or on occasion, acknowledged publicly.