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Authorization. P.L. 86-600 of 7 July 1960.

Eligibility Requirements. Each person who, during the period subsequent to 1 January 1946 and prior to a date to be ultimately established by the Secretary of Defense, meets the qualifications of any of the subparagraphs set forth below, shall be eligible to receive the medal. For the purpose of this paragraph, Antarctica is defined as the area south of latitude 60 degrees.

(1) Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or civilian citizen, national or resident alien of the United States who, as a member of a U.S. expedition, participates in, or has participated in scientific, direct support or exploration operations in Antarctica.

(2) Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or civilian citizen, national or resident alien of the United States who participates in, or has participated in a foreign Antarctic expedition in Antarctica in coordination with a U.S. Antarctic expedition and who is or was under the sponsorship and approval of competent U.S. Government authority.

(3) Any member of the U.S. Armed Forces who participates in or has participated in flights as a crew member of an aircraft flying to or from the Antarctic Continent in support of operations in Antarctica.

(4) Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or civilian citizen, national or resident alien of the United States who serves or has served in a United States ship operat­ ing south of latitude 60oS in support of United States programs in Antarctica.

(5) Any person, including citizens of foreign nations, not fulfilling the qualifications under subparagraphs (1) through (4) above or the following paragraphs establishing the time limits of participation, but who participates in, or has participated in a U.S. Antarctic expedition at the invitation of a participating U.S. agency may be given the award by the Secretary of the Department under whose cognizance the expedition falls, provided the commander of the military support force as senior U.S. representative in Antarctica considers that the individual performed outstanding and exceptional service and shared the hardships and hazards of the expedition.

(6) No minimum time limits of participation under the foregoing guidelines are required for eligibility for this medal prior to 1 June 1973. Subsequent to 1 June 1973, minimum time limits for the award is 30 days under competent orders to duty at sea or ashore, south of latitude 60 degrees. Each day of duty under competent orders at any outlying station on the Antarctic Continent will count as 2 days when determining award eligibility. Flight crews of aircraft providing logistics support from outside the Antarctic Area will receive no more than 1 day’s credit for flights in and out during any 24-hour period. Days do not have to be consecutive. Flight personnel may earn the medal based on 15 flights into the area. The award may be made posthumously. No person is authorized to receive more than one award of the medal. The list of eligible ships/units is maintained by CNO.

Devices

(1) Clasps. Personnel who stay or have stayed on the Antarctic Continent during the winter months shall be eligible to wear a bronze clasp with the words “Wintered Over” on the suspension ribbon of the large medal only. A gold clasp is authorized for the second wintering over period, and a silver clasp is worn to denote the third or subsequent wintering over period. Not more than one clasp shall be worn on the suspension ribbon of the medal. The winter period is from mid-March to early October. The summer period is from early October to mid- March.

(2) Disks. The first wintering over eligibility will be denoted by a 5/16-inch bronze disk diameter with an outline of the Antarctic Continent inscribed thereon fastened on the miniature medal suspension ribbon or ribbon bar representing the medal. (Disk is worn with peninsula pointing up.) A gold disk will represent the second wintering over period. A silver disk will represent the third or subsequent wintering over period. Not more than one disk shall be worn on the ribbon bar.