- Reaction score
- 66
- Points
- 530
Will the CF award the NATO medal for Afghan ops ?
http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1895717.php
Pentagon approves NATO Medal for soldiers
Times staff
The Defense Department has authorized qualified U.S. service members and government civilians to accept and wear the NATO Medal for participation in certain North Atlantic Treaty Organization operations that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
The qualifying operations are:
• Eagle Assist, the NATO airborne warning and control system operation in the United States and the air space of North America, as tasked by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
To qualify, troops must have served in the area of operation for 30 continuous or accumulated days from Oct. 12, 2001, though May 16, 2002.
• Active Endeavor, the alliance operation in the Mediterranean Sea and air space above it involving escort duties, and the maritime surveillance, interception and boarding of suspected terrorist vessels.
The qualifying period in the area of operation is 30 continuous or accumulated days of service from Oct. 26, 2001, to a date yet to be determined.
• International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan operations that began June 1, 2003, in the joint operations area and continue today.
Eligible personnel are members of units and staffs that operated under NATO command or control while in the joint operations area for 30 continuous or accumulated days.
• Balkans — operations in the joint operational area of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Republic of Yugoslavia (including Kosovo), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania.
The qualifying period is 30 continuous or accumulated days of service since Jan. 1, 2003.
Equal to U.N. Medal
For U.S. service members, the NATO Medal has the same precedence as the United Nations Medal, but ranks immediately below the U.N. Medal when the recipient has been awarded both decorations.
Subsequent awards for participation in other qualifying NATO operations will be indicated by a bronze star affixed to the NATO Medal suspension ribbon and service ribbon.
Officials note that the medal presentation set may include a ribbon clasp denoting the qualifying operation.
American service members can accept the clasp but cannot wear it.
“U.S. service members may wear only the basic medal or service ribbon,” according to a June 5 directive from the Army’s Military Awards Branch.
Because the NATO Medal is classified as an international service medal, permanent orders are not required for its award to soldiers.
Brigade and battalion S1 sections are authorized to enter the award in a soldier’s personnel file using the June 5 Military Awards Branch directive as the authority.
http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1895717.php
Pentagon approves NATO Medal for soldiers
Times staff
The Defense Department has authorized qualified U.S. service members and government civilians to accept and wear the NATO Medal for participation in certain North Atlantic Treaty Organization operations that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
The qualifying operations are:
• Eagle Assist, the NATO airborne warning and control system operation in the United States and the air space of North America, as tasked by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
To qualify, troops must have served in the area of operation for 30 continuous or accumulated days from Oct. 12, 2001, though May 16, 2002.
• Active Endeavor, the alliance operation in the Mediterranean Sea and air space above it involving escort duties, and the maritime surveillance, interception and boarding of suspected terrorist vessels.
The qualifying period in the area of operation is 30 continuous or accumulated days of service from Oct. 26, 2001, to a date yet to be determined.
• International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan operations that began June 1, 2003, in the joint operations area and continue today.
Eligible personnel are members of units and staffs that operated under NATO command or control while in the joint operations area for 30 continuous or accumulated days.
• Balkans — operations in the joint operational area of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Republic of Yugoslavia (including Kosovo), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania.
The qualifying period is 30 continuous or accumulated days of service since Jan. 1, 2003.
Equal to U.N. Medal
For U.S. service members, the NATO Medal has the same precedence as the United Nations Medal, but ranks immediately below the U.N. Medal when the recipient has been awarded both decorations.
Subsequent awards for participation in other qualifying NATO operations will be indicated by a bronze star affixed to the NATO Medal suspension ribbon and service ribbon.
Officials note that the medal presentation set may include a ribbon clasp denoting the qualifying operation.
American service members can accept the clasp but cannot wear it.
“U.S. service members may wear only the basic medal or service ribbon,” according to a June 5 directive from the Army’s Military Awards Branch.
Because the NATO Medal is classified as an international service medal, permanent orders are not required for its award to soldiers.
Brigade and battalion S1 sections are authorized to enter the award in a soldier’s personnel file using the June 5 Military Awards Branch directive as the authority.
