Armed Forces Service Medal
President Clinton signed an executive order authorizing the Armed Forces Service Medal. The medal will go to service members participating in peaceful U.S. military operations on or after June 1, 1992. Under the guidelines, the Joint Chiefs of Staff will decide which operations are eligible for the award. Service members receiving the award must not face foreign armed opposition or imminent hostile action. All military service members, including U.S. Coast Guard personnel, may receive the award. The Armed Forces Service Medal covers operations not covered by other U.S. service medals. DOD will not give the award to service members already eligible for other awards. For example, personnel receiving the Southwest Asia Service Medal or Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in the Arabian Gulf are not eligible for the new medal. Service members who qualify for the Humanitarian Service Medal will not qualify for the award. Service members may receive the medal once. Suitable devices, such as numerals or oak leaf clusters, will indicate subsequent awards. Service members in single-service operations may receive the medal provided no other suitable award is available.
Secretary of Defense Perry has approved for awarding the Armed Forces Service Medal to members of the U.S. armed forces who, after June 1, 1992:
- Participate, or have participated, as members of U.S. military units, in a U.S. military operation considered a significant activity; and
- Encounter no foreign armed opposition or imminent threat of hostile action.
- Participate in operations relating to the former Republic of Yugoslavia from June 1, 1992, through a future date to be determined. Operations include Provide Promise, Joint Endeavor, Able Sentry, Deny Flight, Maritime Monitor and Sharp Guard within the total land area and air space of the former Republic of Yugoslavia, Aviano, Ancona, Brindisi, Italy, Hungary and the waters and air space above the portion of the Adriatic Sea lying north of forty degrees north latitude.