Veterans Magazine's Newsletter - Afghanistan, Iraqi Campaign Medals

Afghanistan, Iraqi Campaign Medals

The Air Force has approved the wearing of the Afghanistan, Iraqi campaign medals. These DoD campaign medals apply to active duty, Reserve and Guard personnel deployed on or after 24 OCT 04 for Operation Enduring Freedom and 19 MAR 03 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Airmen must have been assigned, attached or mobilized to units operating in Afghanistan
or Iraq for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days to be eligible.The ACM is awarded for service for all land areas and all airspaces above Afghanistan. The ICM is for service covering all land areas of Iraq, all adjoining water areas out to 12 nautical miles and all airspaces above those areas.

Service members are not entitled to more than one campaign and/or expeditionary medal for the same action, achievement, or period of service. In addition, there are no devices for the ACM, ICM, and Global War on Terrorism Medal.

A period of service is defined as an area of deployment, and includes the number of days criteria outlined above. Members begin a second period of service when they forward deploy or return to home station and then redeploy later.

Airmen deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, who have 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, between the eligibility period and 30 APR 05 may elect to wear either the appropriate campaign medal or the GWOT-E medal, but not both.

Those who deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, who have 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, after 30 APR can only earn the respective campaign medal for the area they served in. The Air Force Personnel Center will do a mass system update in August to convert GWOT-E medals to ACMs or ICMs, for Airmen now eligible for one of the campaign medals. Airmen who do not want the GWOT-E medal converted should notify their commander's support staff or military personnel flight.

The ACM shall be positioned below the Kosovo Campaign Medal above the ICM, and the ICM shall be positioned below the ACM and above the GWOT medal. For more information, contact the local CSS or MPF.