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Quick Reference: Award Requirements

This section describes the requirements for certain awards that are commonly asked about or confused.


Award Requirements

Here we have taken some commonly asked about awards and listed their requirements.

Air Force Medal Chart

National Defense Ribbon

National Defense is awarded for active service between the following dates:

27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954
1 January 1961 and 14 August 1974
2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995
11 September 2001 and a closing date to be determined
Iraq Campaign Ribbon

Iraq Campaign Medal must always be worn with at least one campaign star, wear a star for each of the following periods if applicable:

Liberation of Iraq – March 19, 2003, to May 1, 2003.
Transition of Iraq – May 2, 2003, to June 28, 2004.
Iraqi Governance – June 29, 2004, to December 15, 2005.
National Resolution – December 16, 2005, to January 9, 2007.
The Surge - January 10, 2007, to December 31, 2008.
Iraqi Sovereignty - January 1, 2009 to a date To Be Determined.
Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon

Afghanistan Campaign Medal must always be worn with at least one campaign star, wear a star for each of the following periods if applicable:

Liberation of Afghanistan – September 11, 2001 to November 30, 2001
Consolidation I – December 1, 2001 to September 30, 2006
Consolidation II – October 1, 2006 to a date to be determined
Armed Forces Reserve Medal

Armed Forces Reserve Medal is awarded for either ten years of reserve service or for being mobilized while in the reserves. It must always be worn with either an hourglass device or a mobilization device. The Bronze Hourglass is awarded for 10 years of reserve service, Silver for 20, and Gold for 30. Wear a numeral 2 with an M device for a second Mobilization.


Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary

The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Award was originally given for service in Afghanistan and Iraq before the official campaign awards were issued. Effective in 2005 this award was no longer given for service in either of these countries, but is still awarded for service in others. Also you can replace the award with a Campaign medal for the given country that it was earned in, otherwise it will represent one of the time periods that a campaign star would have otherwise represented on either of these campaign medals. It is unlikely that a second award would be given for this award, but is possible only through the request of the Combat Commander after actual combat.


Global War on Terrorism Service

The Global War on Terrorism Award is essentially awarded to any active service member with in the time frame of September 11, 2001 and up until the present date. An individual may only be awarded it once.


United Nations Medal

There are many different United Nations medals that have been awarded through out the years. Many individuals may have more than one. If this is the case you are to wear the first one awarded and then a bronze star for each subsequent award. No more than one ribbon or medal is to be worn.


NATO Medal

There are many different Nato medals that have been issued through out the years. Some of these medals will have a clasp attached to the suspension ribbon, this clasp is not authorized for wear. If you have multiple awards you are to wear a bronze star to represent an additional award.