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Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Expeditionary Medal


IN MARCH 2003, PRESIDENT BUSH APPROVED THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL FOR AWARD TO AIR FORCE ACTIVE DUTY, RESERVE, AND GUARD PERSONNEL AS RECOGNITION FOR THEIR SERVICE IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.

INDIVIDUALS MUST HAVE DEPLOYED ABROAD, ON OR AFTER 11 SEPTEMBER 2001 AND A FUTURE DATE TO BE DETERMINED, FOR SERVICE IN OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) OR IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) AND MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

A. ASSIGNED, ATTACHED, OR MOBILIZED TO A UNIT PARTICIPATING IN OEF/OIF AND SERVING FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OR 60 NONCONSECUTIVE DAYS (THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT REQUIRED FOR NONCONSECUTIVE DAYS TO BE ACCUMULATED).

B. BE ENGAGED IN ACTUAL COMBAT AGAINST THE ENEMY AND UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING GRAVE DANGER OR DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY FROM ENEMY ACTION, REGARDLESS OF TIME SERVED IN OEF/OIF.

C. KILLED, WOUNDED OR INJURED REQUIRING MEDICAL EVACUATION FROM OPERATIONS OEF/OIF.

D. SERVICE AS A REGULARLY ASSIGNED CREW MEMBER FLYING SORTIES INTO, OUT OF, WITHIN OR OVER THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS OEF OR OIF ARE ELIGIBLE TO QUALIFY FOR AWARD OF THE EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL. EACH DAY THAT ONE OR MORE SORTIES ARE FLOWN SHALL COUNT AS 1 DAY TOWARD THE 30 OR 60 DAY REQUIREMENT.

INDIVIDUALS MUST HAVE SERVED IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DESIGNATED, SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF ELIGIBILITY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GWOT EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL. THE LAND AREA, AIRSPACE, OR WATERS OF: AFGHANISTAN, BAHRAIN, BULGARIA (BOURGAS), CRETE, CYPRUS, DIEGO GARCIA, DJIBOUTI, EGYPT, ERITREA, ETHIOPIA, IRAN, IRAQ, ISRAEL, JORDAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KENYA, KUWAIT, KYRGYSTAN, 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, SUEZ CANAL. UNDER NO CONDITIONS WILL UNITS OR PERSONNEL WITHIN THE UNITED STATES BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL.

WEAR: THE GWOT EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL SHALL BE WORN DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE KOSOVO CAMPAIGN MEDAL. AT THIS TIME, ONLY ONE AWARD OF THIS MEDAL IS AUTHORIZED FOR SERVING IN OPERATIONS OEF/OIF, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES AN INDIVIDUAL RETURNS TO SERVE IN OEF/OIF. THERE ARE NO SERVICE STARS, OR OTHER DEVICE, AUTHORIZED AT THIS TIME ON THIS MEDAL.

AVAILABILITY: THE INITIAL GWOT EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL WILL BE ISSUED TO AIR FORCE ACTIVE DUTY, RESERVE, AND GUARD PERSONNEL BY THEIR SERVICING MPFS UPON AVAILABILITY. HOWEVER, IF DESIRED, MEMBERS MAY PURCHASE THE MEDAL AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE THROUGH AAFES.

MEMBERS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE MAY WEAR THE GWOT-E NOW, BUT MUST BE SURE THEY MEET THE CRITERIA FOR IT. WEAR OF IT WILL BE ON AN “INTEGRITY” BASIS, BECAUSE THE MILPDS UPDATE CODE FOR IT WILL NOT BE AVIALABLE UNTIL THE FALL 2004.

252010Z MAY 04 GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM (GWOT) EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL

For more information personnel should contact their local Military Personnel Flight Awards and Decorations Section.

 

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