Up to that point, members of the military in those two conflicts were eligible for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, like anyone deployed overseas in anti-terrorism efforts. But there were no campaign medals to honor combat service in Iraq or Afghanistan exclusively.
“An expeditionary medal like the GWOT does not necessarily denote combat,” Bingaman told his fellow senators on March 30, 2004. “A campaign medal is designed to recognize military personnel who have risked their lives in combat.”
“Campaign medals matter,” he declared.
The initiative received bipartisan support in Congress; President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13363 creating the medals on Nov. 29, 2004.
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal honors members of the military who have served as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, which began Oct. 7, 2001, with the U.S. strike on Taliban strongholds in that nation, where Sept. 11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden was based.
Any service member attached to a unit operating within Afghanistan or its airspace for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days qualifies for the medal. If a service member is wounded in combat seriously enough to require medical evacuation, he or she will receive the medal no matter the number of days served. Also, any service member who engages the enemy in combat gets the medal without regard to time served.
The Iraq Campaign Medal goes to military personnel mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began on March 19, 2003 with the American-led invasion. It is awarded to members serving in Iraq, its airspace or its territorial waters. The same criteria for time served, injuries and combat action used for the Afghan campaign medal apply in Iraq. The only difference is that service members in Iraq may be honored either for injuries received in combat or as the result of a terrorist attack.
Both medals are awarded posthumously to any service member who dies in the line of duty for any reason, including accidents or mishaps.
The maps of Iraq and Afghanistan are embossed on the respective medals, and the ribbons bear the colors of their individual flags. Currently, stars can’t be worn with the medals to mark multiple tours, a cause for complaint among some service members.
Service members must apply at their military personnel office to be considered for the medal. Personnel deemed eligible can purchase the medals at military clothing sales outlets.
