RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche has approved award of the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon to recognize servicemembers’ support of air expeditionary force deployments. The ribbon will be awarded to Air Force active-duty, Reserve and Guard members who completed a contingency deployment after Oct. 1, 1999, according to officials.
"Deployed status is defined as either deployment on contingency, exercise, deployment orders or members sourced in direct support, in theater or out, of expeditionary operations with an overnight (stay) away from home station," said Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Simmons. He is the superintendent of the awards and decorations section at the Air Force Personnel Center here.
To qualify for the award, individuals must have deployed for 45 consecutive days or 90 nonconsecutive days.
"Any contingency deployment qualifies regardless of the duty, destination or location of the temporary duty, including those within the continental United States," Simmons said.
There is also no time limit to accumulate the 90 nonconsecutive days.
"People will continue accumulating contingency (temporary duty) days until they reach 90 days," he said. "Every consecutive 45 days, regardless of TDY length, counts toward an additional ribbon (oak leaf cluster). For example, 90 consecutive days of TDY qualifies an individual for two (ribbons) (one ribbon and one oak-leaf cluster). 180 consecutive days qualifies him or her for four ribbons" (one ribbon and three oak-leaf clusters).
In precidence of wear, the ribbon comes directly after the Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon.
Permanent-party people overseas are not eligible for the ribbon, unless they are forward-deployed on a contingency deployment, according to Simmons. People deployed on an overseas short tour may receive both the expeditionary ribbon and the Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, providing they meet the requirements for both, he said.
To receive the award, people should report to their serving military personnel flight once they return from deployment to validate entitlement to the ribbon, Simmons said. People must present a copy of their deployment orders and completed travel voucher; any citations or certificates received while deployed may also help prove entitlement.
"If the special order doesn't identify the TDY as a contingency deployment, the current squadron commander may validate (the ribbon) entitlement by evaluating the request and verifying any supporting documentation," Simmons said. "If necessary, (the commander) may also contact other people with first-hand knowledge of the member's deployment.
"The commander would then provide a memorandum to the (military personnel flight) validating the TDY and how many days the individual was deployed," he said.
Added Note: In April 2004, the Secretary of the Air Force (Dr. James G. Roche) and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper approved the addition of a gold border to the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon to signify satisfactory participation in combat operations. "This gold border, signifying participation in combat operations, reflects the global, expeditionary nature of airpower and our Air Force," General Jumper said. "It recognizes the highly professional service of our Airmen in designated geographic combat areas of operations, and the service of those who produce combat effects by employing airpower capabilities from outside that area.”
Airmen meeting the established criteria for award of the basic ribbon, 45 consecutive days or 90 nonconsecutive days in a designated combat zone, will also qualify for the gold border signifying participation in combat operations.
In addition to the criteria for time in the area of responsibility, Airmen who are wounded or die while serving in the area, and those who participate in mobility operations into the designated area and who launch weapons into the area will qualify for the device. This includes air mobility and bomber aircrews flying missions outside the area of responsibility, as well as Airmen involved in space operations and remotely piloted vehicle operations that produce weapons effects in the AOR.
