The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military
which was created by Executive Order 13289 on March 12, 2003 by President George W. Bush.
The award recognizes those military service members who have performed service in the
War on Terror from September 11, 2001, to a date yet to be determined.
Criteria To receive the Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal, a military service member must perform duty in a designated anti-terrorism operation
for a period of either 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days of duty. For those who
were engaged in combat, killed, or wounded in the line of duty the time requirement is
waived. The initial authorized operation for the Global
War on Terrorism Service Medal was the so-called "Airport Security Operation" which occurred
between September 27, 2001 and May 31, 2002. Additional operations, for which the Global
War on Terrorism Service Medal is authorized, include the active military campaigns of Operation
Enduring Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Future operations
are at the discretion of United States component commanders upon approval from the United States
Department of Defense. Support duty
In 2004, Defense Department and military service branches began publishing directives, messages,
and orders, that specified that the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal would be awarded
not only for direct participation in specific operations, for also to any personnel who
performed support duty of an anti-terrorism operation but do not directly participate.
The phrase "support" was further defined as any administrative, logistics, planning, operational,
technical, or readiness activity, which provides support to an operation of the Global War
on Terror. As a result of this blanket term, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
became an eligible award for most personnel of the United States armed forces who performed
service after September 11, 2001 through March 2004.
With the orders granting the GWOTSM for "support duty", the medal has essentially become almost
the same type of award as the National Defense Service Medal and graduates of training schools,
ROTC, and service academies are typically presented both awards at the same time. The
primary difference between the NDSM and the GWOTSM is that the NDSM is automatic as soon
as a person joins the military whereas the GWOTSM may only be presented after thirty
days of active duty. The regulations for Reservists and National Guardsmen are also not as well
defined for the GWOTSM as they are for the NDSM, since the presentation of the NDSM to
Reservists and National Guardsmen was codified and clarified as far back as the Gulf War.
Army Army Regulations state that, "All Soldiers
on active duty, including Reserve Component Soldiers mobilized, or Army National Guard
Soldiers activated on or after 11 September 2001 to a date to be determined having served
30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days are authorized the GWOTSM." The GWOTSM was
awarded automatically to all service members on Active Duty between September 11, 2001
and March 31, 2004. While the award is no longer automatic, the termination "date to
be determined" has not been set. The Battalion Commander is the approval authority for the
GWOTSM. Service members are still eligible for the medal provided they meet the criteria
in AR 600-8-22. Army Soldiers serving on active duty primarily
in a training status are not authorized award of the GWOTSM for the active duty time they
are in training. The criteria for the awards specifically states that a Soldier has to
serve on active duty in support of a designated GWOT operation, Operation Enduring Freedom,
Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn) for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive
days. Soldiers in a training status are “not” supporting these designated operations.
Navy and Marine Corps Regulations for rating the GWOTSM are the
same in both the Navy and the Marine Corps for those who serve on both active duty and
reserve duty. Essentially, 30 days of consecutive duty or 60 days of non-consecutive duty in
support of approved organizations. Personnel who are still in their initial career training
are not eligible. Eligibility begins when they reach their first permanent duty station.
Air Force Air Force service members were first awarded
the GWOTSM for airport security operations in the fall and winter of 2001. It was subsequently
awarded for participation or support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.
Members must be assigned, attached or mobilized to a unit participating in or serving in support
of these designated operations for thirty consecutive days or sixty nonconsecutive days.
Personnel who are not deployed may be eligible for service in support of the Global War on
Terrorism. Examples of these duties are maintaining and loading weapons systems for combat missions,
securing installations against terrorism, augmenting command posts or crisis action
teams, and processing personnel for deployment. Coast Guard
Coast Guard regulations concerning the award of this medal state, "From 11 September 2001
to 30 January 2005: Awarded to all Coast Guard active duty and reserve members on active
duty during the eligibility period. To qualify, members must have served on active duty for
a period of not less than 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days following initial
accession point training. Service while assigned to training duty as a student, cadet, officer
candidate, and duty under instruction, does not count toward eligibility. This includes
both training and summer cruises for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Officer Candidate
School. For reservists, “active duty” includes ADT and IDT service in an operational
vice classroom setting. From 31 January 2005 to a date to be determined:
Eligible service members must be or have been assigned, attached, or mobilized to a unit
participating in or serving in direct support of specified Global War on Terrorism operations
for 30 consecutive or 60 cumulative days, or meet one of the following criteria: Be
engaged in actual combat regardless of time served in the operation; or While participating
in the operation, regardless of time, be killed, wounded, or injured requiring medical evacuation."
Appearance The medal is a bronze color metal disc 1.25
inches in diameter. The obverse depicts an eagle with spread wings. On the breast of
the eagle is a shield of thirteen vertical bars. In the eagle's right claw is an olive
branch and in the left claw are three arrows. The eagle is surmounted by a terrestrial globe
with the inscription above “WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE MEDAL.” On the reverse is a laurel
wreath on a plain field. The medal is suspended from an Old Glory Blue ribbon 1.375 inches
wide and consists of stripes of golden yellow, scarlet and white.
Service and battle stars Only one award of this medal may be authorized
for any individual, therefore, no service stars are prescribed.
Although qualifying circumstances would be extremely rare, battle stars may be applicable
for personnel who were engaged in actual combat against the enemy involving grave danger of
death or serious bodily injury. Only a Combatant Command can initiate a request for a battle
star. This request will contain the specific unit(s) or individual(s) engaged in actual
combat, the duration for which combat was sustained, and a detailed description of the
actions against the enemy. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
is the approving authority for the specific battle stars. To date there have been no service
or battle stars authorized for the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
See also Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
References This article incorporates public domain
material from websites or documents of the United States Army. This article incorporates public
domain material from websites or documents of the United States Air Force.
External links Executive Order 13289: Establishing the Global
War on Terrorism Medals White House press release