DTG 9 FEB 04
FROM: HQ, HRC USA//AHRC-PDO-PA//
TO: AIG 7406
INFO: ARSTAF
COMCFLCC DOHA KUWAIT KU//C1//
COMUSARCENT-CDRUSATHIRD FT MCPHERSON GA//AFRD-PA//
CDRFORSCOM FT MCPHERSON GA//AFAG-PSS-S//
USCINCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ1-MPSA//
HQ, HRC USA//AHRC-PDO-PA//
UNCLASSIFIED
SUBJECT: KOREA DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL (KDSM) â †IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONS
A. AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS, DATED 25 FEB 95.
B. DOD 1348-33, MANUAL OF MILITARY DECORATIONS AND AWARDS.
C. SECTION 543, 2003 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT.
1. THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE APPROVED THE IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONS AND CRITERIA FOR THE KDSM ON 3 FEB 04.
2. THE KOREA DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL (KDSM) IS AUTHORIZED TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO HAVE SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF THE DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA FROM 28 JULY 1954 TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED. THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY ENCOMPASSES ALL LAND AREA OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA, AND THE CONTIGUOUS WATER OUT TO 12 NAUTICAL MILES, AND ALL AIR SPACES ABOVE THE LAND AND WATER AREAS.
3. EFFECTIVE 3 FEB 04, THE OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON (OSR) IS NO LONGER AUTHORIZED FOR OVERSEAS TOURS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA. A SEPARATE MESSAGE WILL BE TRANSMITTED ADDRESSING PREVIOUS AWARDS OF THE OSR FOR NORMAL OVERSEAS TOURS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL (AFEM) FOR SERVICE IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA FROM 1 OCT 66 TO 30 JUN 74.
4. CRITERIA. SERVICE MEMBERS MUST HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED, ATTACHED, OR MOBILIZED TO UNITS OPERATING IN THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE OR FOR 60 NONCONSECUTIVE DAYS, OR MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
(A) BE ENGAGED IN COMBAT DURING AN ARMED ENGAGEMENT, REGARDLESS OF THE TIME IN THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY.
(B) IS WOUNDED OR INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY AND REQUIRES MEDICAL EVACUATION FROM THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY.
(C) WHILE PARTICIPATING AS A REGULARLY ASSIGNED AIR CREWMEMBER FLYING SORTIES INTO, OUT OF, OR WITHIN THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF MILITARY OPERATIONS. EACH DAY THAT ONE OR MORE SORTIES ARE FLOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE CRITERIA SHALL COUNT AS ONE DAY TOWARD THE 30 OR 60-DAY REQUIREMENT.
(D) PERSONNEL WHO SERVE IN OPERATIONS AND EXERCISES CONDUCTED IN THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY ARE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE FOR THE AWARD AS LONG AS THE BASIC TIME CRITERIA IS MET. DUE TO EXTENSIVE TIME PERIOD FOR KDSM ELIGIBILITY, THE NONCONSECUTIVE SERVICE PERIOD FOR ELIGIBILITY REMAINS CUMULATIVE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PERIOD.
5. THE KDSM MAY BE AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY TO ANY SOLDIER WHO LOST HIS/HER LIFE WITHOUT REGARD TO LENGTH OF SUCH SERVICE.
6. ONLY ONE AWARD OF THE KDSM IS AUTHORIZED FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL.
7. IN ORDER OF PRECEDENCE THE KDSM WILL BE WORN BELOW THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE MEDAL (GWOTSM) AND ABOVE THE ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL (AFSM).
8. USA HRC - ALEXANDRIA WILL COMPLETE A ONE-TIME TOP LOAD TO PERSONNEL SYSTEMS TO ADD THE KDSM TO ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIER'S PERSONNEL RECORDS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR OVERSEAS SERVICE TOURS BEFORE 3 FEB 04. MILITARY PERSONNEL DIVISIONS/PERSONNEL SERVICE COMPANIES WILL UPDATE PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION RECORDS OF QUALIFIED SOLDIERS WHO COMPLETE THEIR TOURS ON OR AFTER 4 FEB 04 USING THIS MESSAGE AS AUTHORITY. AUTHORIZED ABBREVIATION USED TO ANNOTATE SECTION VIII OF THE ORB AND ITEM 9 OF THE DA FORM 2-1, AND SUBMISSIONS CODE TO UPDATE THE OMPF ARE AS FOLLOWS:
DECODE DATA CODE ITEM 9, 2-1/ORB NSN
KDSM KM KDSM 8455-01-512-7138
9. IAW PARAGRAPH 1-44, AR 600-8-22, COMMANDERS MAY SUBMIT REQUISITIONS FOR AVAILABLE MEDALS THROUGH NORMAL SUPPLY CHANNELS. MEDALS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE SUPPLY SYSTEM BY MAY 04. THE NSN IS PROVIDED ABOVE.
10. APPROPRIATE ENTRY WILL BE MADE ON THE DD FORM 214 (ITEM 13) TO ADD AWARD OF THE KDSM.
11. REQUESTS FOR AWARD OF THE KDSM TO VETERANS, RETIREES, OR THEIR NEXT OF KIN WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER (NPRC),
WWW.ARCHIVES.GOV, IN ST. LOUIS, MO. NPRC‘S ADDRESS IS: NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER, 9700 PAGE AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63132-5100. REQUESTS WILL INCLUDE DOCUMENTS SUPPORTING SERVICE IN KOREA FROM 28 JULY 1954 TO DATE TO BE DETERMINED. NPRC WILL ADD THE KDSM TO THE DD FORM 214 BY ISSUING A DD FORM 215 (CORRECTION TO DD FORM 214, CERTIFICATE OF RELEASE OR DISCHARGE FROM ACTIVE DUTY).
12. MEMBERS OF THE ARMY RESERVE AND NATIONAL GUARD SHOULD CONTACT THEIR CURRENT RECORDS CUSTODIAN TO HAVE THEIR RECORDS UPDATED.
13. POINTS OF CONTACT FOR THIS MESSAGE ARE MS. HARRIS DSN 221-4761, COMM (703) 325-4761 AND SSG MIZNER AT DSN 221-9171 OR COMM (703) 325-9171.
