***image1***The Air Force has authorized wear of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal approved by President Bush last year.
The Department of Defense campaign medal applies to active-duty, Reserve and Guard personnel deployed abroad on or after Sept.11, 2001, for Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“The criterion is pretty clear, so members who believe they are eligible can begin wearing it,” said Tech. Sgt. Jeff Simmons, superintendent of the Recognition Programs Branch here.
To qualify, an individual must have been assigned or attached to a unit in OEF/OIF and served 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days in one of the following specific geographic areas: — Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bulgaria (Bourgas), Crete, Cyprus, Diego Garcia, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Romania (Constanta), Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey (east of 35 degrees east latitude), Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, that portion of the Arabian Sea north of 10 degrees north latitude and west of 68 degrees longitude, Bab el Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Suez, that portion of the Mediterranean Sea east of 28 degrees east longitude, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz, and the Suez Canal.
The medal will only be awarded once, regardless of how many times an individual returns to serve in OEF or OIF. There are no service stars, or other devices authorized. However, battle stars may be authorized for personnel who engaged in actual combat. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the approving authority for battle stars.
The medal follows the Kosovo Campaign medal in precedence and can be viewed at http://www.defenselink.mil/
news/Mar2003/200303134a.jpg.
The medal will be issued by local Military Personnel Flights when it becomes available and will also be available through the Army and Air Force Exchange Service later this year.
For more information, members can call the Ramstein MPF Awards and Decorations Flight at 480-2354. (Courtesy of Air Force Personnel Center)
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