.United States Army Service Medals Page 4.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Established by order of the President on 14 Dec 1961, for service in military operations
for which no other service or campaign medal has been authorized:

Subsequent awards are designated by bronze service stars;
one silver service star in lieu of five bronze.
 

Designed by Jay Morris

Vietnam Service Medal

Vietnam Service Medal

Established by order of the President on 01 Oct 1965, for service in Vietnam
and contiguous waters or airspace after 03 Jul 1965 and through 28 Mar 1973.
Service in direct support of Vietnam from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia is also eligible.

One bronze service star may be worn for each campaign;
one silver service star in lieu of five bronze:


Designed by Mercedes Lee

Southwest Asia Service Medal

Southwest Asia Service Medal

Established by order of the President on 13 MAR 1991, awarded to US Armed Forces personnel
who served in the Persian Gulf area from 02 AUG 1990 to 30 NOV 1995;

Service stars awarded for the following campaigns:


Designed by Nadine Russell

Kosovo Campaign Medal

Kosovo Campaign Medal

Established by order of the President on 03 MAY 2000, awarded to US Armed Forces personnel
who served in direct support of Kosovo operation(s):

or

 Kosovo task force(s):

The Secretary of Defense approved award to the following Naval vessels:

A bronze service star shall be worn on the suspension and service ribbon for qualified participation during campaigns
(i.e., an individual who participated in one campaign would wear one star).
Meeting qualifications in each of the two campaigns would warrant two bronze service stars.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, US Army


Afghanistan Campaign Medal



Established by order of the President on 28 MAY 2004, creating the Afghanistan Campaign Medal
which will now be awarded to members of the US uniformed services who serve or have served in
Afghanistan or contiguous air space, on or after 24 OCT 2001 and to a date to be determined.

Service stars awarded for the following campaigns:
Upon application, a member may be awarded the Afghanistan Campaign Medal
in lieu of the Global War of Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for service in Afghanistan.
No member shall be entitled to the award of more than one of these two medals for the same period of service.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, US Army


Iraq Campaign Medal



Established by order of the President on 28 MAY 2004, creating the Iraq Campaign Medal
which will now be awarded to members of the uniformed services of the US who serve or have served in
Iraq or contiguous waters or air space, on or after 19 MAR 2003 and to a date to be determined.

Service stars awarded for the following campaigns:
  • Liberation of Iraq -- 19 Mar-01 May 2003
  • Transition of Iraq -- 02 May 2003-28 Jun 2004
  • Iraq Governance -- 29 Jun 2004-15 Dec 2005
  • National Resolution -- 16 Dec 2005-Date to be Anncd
Upon application, a member may be awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal
in lieu of the Global War of Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for service in Iraq.
No member shall be entitled to the award of more than one of these two medals for the same period of service.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, US Army


Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

 

Established by order of the President on 17 MAR 2004, awarded to US Armed Forces personnel
who deploy abroad for service in the Global War on Terrorism operations
on or after 11 SEP 2001 and to a date to be determined.

Initial award is limited to personnel deployed abroad in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and
IRAQI FREEDOM in the following specific geographic areas of eligibility: 

Afghanistan*, Iraq*, Qatar, Arabian Sea north of 10° and west of 68°,
Bahrain, Israel, Romania (Constanta), Bab el Mandeb,
Bulgaria (Bourgas), Jordon, Saudi Arabia, Gulf of Aden,
Crete, Kazakhstan, Somalia, Gulf of Aqaba,
Cyprus, Kenya, Syria, Gulf of Oman,
Diego Garcia, Kuwait, Tajikistan, Gulf of Suez,
Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Mediterranean Sea east of 28°,
Egypt, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, Persian Gulf,
Eritrea, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Red Sea,
Ethiopia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Strait of Hormuz,
Iran, The Philippines, Yemen, Suez Canal

Additions made 11 Apr 2005;
Algeria,
 Georgia,
 Mali,
 Uganda,
Bosnia-Herzegovina,
 Hungary,
 Mauritania,
 Mediterranean Sea
("boarding and searching" vessel operations)
Chad,
 Kosovo**,
 Niger,




*   Effective 30 Apr 2005, the GWOTEM is no longer authorized to be awarded for service in Afghanistan and/or Iraq.
**  Only specific GWOT operations not associated with operations qualifying for the Kosovo Campaign Medal.


Personnel may receive both the GWOTEM and the GWOTSM, if they meet the requirements of both awards; however, the same period of service establishing eligibility for one cannot be used for the other.
Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, US Army


Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

 

Established by order of the President on 17 MAR 2004, awarded to US Armed Forces personnel
who have participated in or served in support of Global War on Terrorism operations
on or after 11 SEP 2001 and to a date to be determined.

Initial award of the GWOTSM will be limited to airport security operations (27 SEP 2001 through 31 MAY 2002) and personnel who supported Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM. 

Personnel may receive both the GWOTEM and the GWOTSM, if they meet the requirements of both awards; however, the same period of service establishing eligibility for one cannot be used for the other.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, US Army

Korea Defense Service Medal

Korean Defense Service Medal

The Korea Defense Service Medal is authorized to members of the US Armed Forces
who served on active duty in support of the defense of the Republic of Korea
from 28 JULY 1954 to a date to be determined.

DoD has approved, as an exception to policy, to authorize service members who qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for service between 1 Oct 1966 and 30 Jun 1974, in the area for which Korean Defense Service Medal (KDSM) was authorized, to be eligible for both the AFEM and KDSM.  Award of the KDSM for this time period is a one-time exception to policy to comply with section 543 of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2003, Public Law 107 314.

The area of elegibility encompasses all land area of the Republic of Korea and
the contiguous waters out to 12 nautical miles and all air space above the land and water areas.

Designed by John Sproston


Armed Forces Service Medal

Armed Forces Service Medal

Established by order of the President on 11 JAN 1996, and awarded to members of the US Armed Forces
who participate as members of units involved in military operations with no foreign,
armed opposition or threat of hostile action.

(This medal is intended to meet the void in the criteria between the AFEM and the HSM .)

Approved Operations include:

(1) Relating to the former Yugoslavia from 01 June 1992 to a future date, including:
 (2) Relating to Haiti:
(3) Relating to Iraq and Turkey:
(4) Relating to the United States:


Designed by Nadine Russell

Humanitarian Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

Established by order of the President on 01 APR 1975, to honor personnel of the US Armed Forces
who have rendered service to mankind.

One bronze service star is worn for second and subsequent awards;
one silver service star in lieu of five bronze.

* List of DA approved operations .


Designed by Jay Morris

Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal

Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal

Established by order of the President on 09 JAN 1993, and awarded to members of the US Armed Forces,
who subsequent to 31 DEC 1992, performed outstanding volunteer community service
of a sustained, direct, and consequential nature.
 

Designed by Nadine Russell

Armed Forces Reserve Medal

Established by Congress on 25 SEP 1950, for ten years of honorable and satisfactory service
in the Reserve Components of the US Organized Reserve Corps, Army of the United States, and
Officers Reserve Corps within a twelve year period; or for service of at least one day of active duty
in support of a contingency operation on or after 01 AUG 1990.

The bronze Hourglass Device and the bronze Mobilization "M" Device with bronze Arabic Numerals
are all authorized for wear on the suspension and service ribbons.
 

Designed by the Quartermaster General's Office, US Army


Copyright (c) RWD Ploessl

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