Issue Regulations The Global War On Terrorism Medals

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Issue Regulations
The Global War On Terrorism Medals

The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal will be awarded to service members who serve in military expeditions to combat terrorism on or after Sept. 11, 2001 in recognition of the "sacrifices and contributions" military members make in the global war on terror. Operation Enduring Freedom is the prime operation the medal may be awarded for. Personnel assigned to operations in Afghanistan and the Philippines are examples of service members who will receive the award. Operation Noble Eagle is an example of the type of operation the medal may be awarded for.

The Expeditionary Medal does not take the place of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, established Dec. 4, 1961. "Any member who qualified for the Expeditionary Medal by reason of service in operations to combat terrorism between September 11, 2001, and a terminal date to be determined by the Secretary of Defense, shall remain qualified for this medal," the executive order reads. "Upon application, any such member may be awarded either the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal."

No one may be awarded more than one of the Expeditionary medals for service in the same approved expedition or operation to combat terrorism. No one is entitled to more than one award of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

The medal may be awarded posthumously.

DoD and military service officials, including the Coast Guard, are working on provisions to award the medal.

Designated Regions

Designated geographic locations for the GWOT Expeditionary Medal

Afghanistan
Bahrain
Bulgaria (Bourgas only)
Crete
Cyprus
Diego Garcia
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Qatar
Romania (Constanta only)
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Syria
Tajikistan
Turkey (east of 35 degree 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
Suez Canal

Included by the Dept of the Navy, 31 Mar 2006:

Algeria
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Chad
Georgia
Hungary
Mali
Mauritania
Niger
Turkey
Uganda
Colombi
Guantanamo Bay
Kosovo
Mediterranean Sea

Executive Order 13289

Establishing the Global War on Terrorism Medal

The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal will be awarded to service members who serve in military expeditions to combat terrorism on or after Sept. 11, 2001 in recognition of the "sacrifices and contributions" military members make in the global war on terror. Operation Enduring Freedom is the prime operation the medal may be awarded for. Personnel assigned to operations in Afghanistan and the Philippines are examples of service members who will receive the award. Operation Noble Eagle is an example of the type of operation the medal may be awarded for.

The Service Medal does not take the place of the Armed Forces Service Medal, established Dec. 4, 1961. "Any member who qualified for the Service Medal by reason of service in operations to combat terrorism between September 11, 2001, and a terminal date to be determined by the Secretary of Defense, shall remain qualified for this medal," the executive order reads. "Upon application, any such member may be awarded either the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Service Medal."

No one may be awarded more than one of the Service medals for service in the same approved expedition or operation to combat terrorism. No one is entitled to more than one award of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The medal may be awarded posthumously.

DoD and military service officials, including the Coast Guard, are working on provisions to award the medal.

Executive Order 13289

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including my authority as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. There is hereby established the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with suitable appurtenances. Except as limited in section 3 of this order, and under uniform regulations to be prescribed by the Secretaries of the military depart- ments and approved by the Secretary of Defense, or under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal shall be awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who serve or have served in military expeditions to combat terrorism, as defined by such regulations, on or after September 11, 2001, and before a terminal date to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

Sec. 2. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. There is hereby established the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal with suitable appurtenances. Except as limited in section 3 of this order, and under uniform regulations to be prescribed by the Secretaries of the military departments and approved by the Secretary of Defense, or under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal shall be awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who serve or have served in military operations to combat terrorism, as defined by such regulations, on or after September 11, 2001, and before a terminal date to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

Sec. 3. Relationship to Other Awards. Notwithstanding section 3 of Executive Order 10977 of December 4, 1961, establishing the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and section 3 of Executive Order 12985 of January 11, 1996, establishing the Armed Forces Service Medal, any member who qualified for those medals by reason of service in operations to combat terrorism between September 11, 2001, and a terminal date to be determined by the Secretary of Defense, shall remain qualified for those medals. Upon application, any such member may be awarded either the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal or the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or the Armed Forces Service Medal, but no person may be awarded more than one of these four medals by reason of service in the same approved Global War on Terrorism expedition or operation to combat terrorism, and no person shall be entitled to more than one award of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal or the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Sec. 4. Posthumous Award. The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal may be awarded posthumously to any person covered by and under regulations prescribed in accordance with the first or second sections of this order.

GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 12, 2003.

26 February 2005 Announcement

Military members serving at home and abroad in the war on terrorism will now be recognized for that service. Defense officials announced Feb. 26, 2005 the final approval of two new medals and their criteria.

Individuals who have deployed to operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom will be awarded the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal will be awarded to those who served in airport security operations in the United States following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks or who supported operations Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle or Iraqi Freedom.

The front of Global War in Terrorism Expeditionary Medal features a shield adapted from the Great Seal of the United States. The back includes the eagle, serpent and swords from the medal's front-side design along with the inscription "War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal." The medal's final approval was announced Feb. 26.

"These medals recognize the significant contributions members of the armed forces bring to bear in combating terrorism in all forms throughout the world -- for both current and future operations," stated a DoD news release.

Individuals can receive both medals if they meet the individual criteria.

To be awarded the expeditionary medal, individuals must have been deployed outside the United States for OEF or OIF for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days. The time requirement is not needed if the individual engaged in combat, was wounded or killed in action, or was medically evacuated for any reason, officials said.

The area of eligibility encompasses the U.S. Central Command area, excluding the lower Horn of Africa; Middle East; eastern Turkey; Philippines; Diego Garcia; and all air spaces above the land and adjacent water areas, according to the release.

Each day aircrew members fly sorties into designated areas counts as one day of deployment toward the 30- or 60-day requirement.

Individuals engaged in actual combat may be eligible for battle stars on the expeditionary medal. Only a combatant commander can initiate a request for a battle star, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the approving authority for them, the release states.

Personnel eligible to receive the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal must have participated or support operations on or after Sept. 11, 2001. Service medal eligibility dates run from Sept. 27, 2001, until May 31, 2002, for individuals who served in airport security operations.

The same 30- or 60-day requirements apply to the service medal as to the expeditionary medal.

"Each military department will prescribe appropriate regulations for processing awarding and wearing of the medals and ribbons for their service members, to include application procedures for veterans, retirees, and next-of-kin," the DoD release stated.

200502264a.jpg The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal has an eagle and wings display, with a terrestrial globe and the inscription "War on Terrorism Service Medal." The reverse side features a laurel wreath. The medal's final approval was announced Feb. 26.

Issue Regulations Update
January, 2007

To earn the award, soldiers must meet one of the following criteria:

-- Be assigned, attached or mobilized to a unit participating in anti-terrorist operations for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days in a designated area of operations.

-- Be engaged in combat under circumstances of grave danger of death or bodily injury from enemy action, regardless of time served in the area of operations.

-- Be killed, wounded or injured, and require medical evacuation from the area of operation, while serving in an anti-terrorist operation, regardless of time spent there.

-- Be assigned as a regular aircrew member flying support sorties out of, within or over the area of operation.

Only one award of the medal is authorized per soldier. However, bronze battle stars may be awarded for combat actions at the request of the senior combatant commander and with approval from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Areas of eligibility for the award of the medal are:
-- Algeria
-- Azerbaijan
-- Bahrain
-- Bosnia-Herzegovina
--Bulgaria (Bourgas)
--Chad
--Colombia
--Crete
--Cyprus
--Diego Garcia
--Djibouti
--Egypt
--Eritrea
--Ethiopia
--Georgia
--Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
--Hungary
--Iran
--Israel
--Jordan
--Kazakhstan
--Kenya
--Kosovo, but only specific anti-terrorist operations not associated with operations that qualify for the Kosovo Campaign Medal
--Kuwait
--Kyrgyzstan
--Lebanon
--Mali
--Mauritania
--Niger
--Nigeria
--Oman
--Pakistan
--Philippines
--Qatar
--Romania (Constanta)
--Saudi Arabia
--Senegal
--Sierra Leone
--Somalia
--Syria
--Tajikistan
--Tanzania
--Tunisia
--Turkey
--Turkmenistan
--Uganda
--United Arab Emirates
--Uzbekistan
--Yeman
--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

--The Mediterranean Sea east of 28 degrees east longitude, as well as boarding and searching vessel operations
--Persian Gulf
--Red Sea
--Strait of Hormuz
--Suez Canal

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Very wide spread areas