DOD announced the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and Iraq Campaign Medal for military members who directly supported Operation Enduring Freedom between Oct 24 2001 and a date to be determined in the futurity or Operation Iraqi Freedom between March 19 2003 and any future date.

The recent campaign medals were established through presidential order for service members who have been assigned, attached or mobilized to units operating in these areas, officials said.

Until now, service members opened to Afghanistan and Iraq during the designated timeframes were awarded the Global War upon Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

"By awarding separate medals, we will recognize the specific contribution that our servicemen and women have made in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Bill Carr, delegate undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy. "It's appropriate that we at hand them with an award that with truth honors their heroic service in these operations."

Service members with the Global War in succession Terrorism Expeditionary Medal remain qualified for it, yet officials said they may apply for the appropriate fresh campaign medal, as well.

Military personnel may receive the pair of the new campaign medals if they fit the requirement for both awards. However, officials said the qualifying period of service for common award can't be used to justify eligibility for the other. Just common award of each of the just discovered medals is authorized, as no service stars are prescribed.

No service member is entitled to wear all three medals for the same act, achievement or period of service.

The area of eligibility for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal includes all the country's land and air spaces. The Iraq Campaign Medal applies for service in Iraq, its waters disclosed to 12 nautical miles, and the airspace throughout Iraq and its 12-mile water area.

To qualify for the awards, service members must have serv in the appropriate region for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days, officials said.

Service members also qualify for the medals if they have been engaged in combat during an armed engagement, regardless of the time worn out in the area of eligibility, or were anguished or injured and required medical evacuation from the area of eligibility while participating in an operation or forward official duties.

Regularly assigned air ship's company members flying sorties into, without of, within, or over the area of eligibility in direct support of military operations also qualify, with each day of operations counting as individual day of eligibility.

upon the uniform, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal will be positioned below the Kosovo Campaign Medal and above the Iraq Campaign Medal The Iraq Campaign Medal will be positioned below the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and above the Global War onward Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Each military department will wait on as the awarding authority for the of recent origin campaign medals and issue regulations for processing, awarding and wearing them, officials said.

Story courtesy of American Forces Pres Service.

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