Rodimus Star

Rodiumus Prime knows that you can't choose when fate decides to test your mettle. He could've ignored the urge to lead several Autobots on a quest to find the Knights of Cybertron. He could've turned his back on destiny and said "Go find another hero". But for those who follow in his footsteps and rise to the occasion, he awards them a medals with his smiling face emblazoned on it.

The crew is almost as impressed with them as Rodimus is. Though a handful of them would do almost anything to have one.

Fiction

IDW Generation 1 continuity

Rodimus awarded Chromedome, Brainstorm and Highbrow (but conspicuously not Trailcutter) for repairing a hull breach caused by fragment from Metroplex. Neither Tailgate nor Chromedome seemed dazzled with it. But Trailcutter felt left out and underappreciated for not getting one. Finding out that just about everyone on the ship including Whirl (who doodled over his) received one didn't make him feel any better. Even Swerve was promised one if he completed his sponsored silence. Even when Whirl and Trailcutter confronted Rodimus about it, he blew them off, claiming he'd just be rewarding Trailcutter for doing what he always does.

Eventually, Trailcutter received one for driving a pack of Titan Hunters off the Lost Light while everyone the ship was accidentally paralyzed by one of Brainstorm's pulse weapons. Unfortunately, Rodimus awarded everyone who was frozen giant golden Rodimus crests for "Exceptional endurance in the face of adversity", putting him back where he started. The Reluctant Specialist