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Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

 The Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-E) is awarded to recognize members of the Armed Forces of the United States who deployed abroad for service in the Global War on Terrorism Operations on or after 11 September, 2001 to a date to be determined. Eligibility criteria are as follows:

 Members must have deployed abroad, on or after 11 September 2001, to a future date to be determined, for service in OEF, OIF, OND, and meet one of the following:
  1. Be assigned, attached, or mobilized to a unit participating in OEF/OIF/OND and serving for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days.
  2. Be engaged in actual combat against the enemy and under circumstances involving grave danger or death or serious bodily injury from enemy action, regardless of time served in OEF/OIF,
  3. Be killed, wounded, or injured requiring medical evacuation from OEF/OIF/OND. The GWOT-E may be awarded posthumously.
  4. Service as a regularly assigned crew member flying sorties into, out of, within or over the area of eligibility in direct support of OEF/OIF/OND is eligible. Each day that one or more sorties are flown shall count as one day toward the 30 or 60 day requirement.

The DoD approved operations for the GWOT-E are:
 1. OEF (11 September 2001 - TBD)
 2. OIF (19 March 2003 - 31 August 2010)
 3. OND (1 September 2010 - 31 December 2011)

Area of Eligibility for OEF/OIF/OND:
 The land area, air space, or waters of: Afghanistan, Algeria, Arabian Sea (north of 10 degrees North latitude and west of 68 degrees East longitude), Azerbaijan, Bab el Mandeb, Bahrain, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria (Bourgas), Burkina Faso, Chad, Columbia, Crete, Cyprus, Diego Garcia, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guantanamo Bay Cuba, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Suez, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo (only specific GWOT operations not associated with operations qualifying in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia that qualify for award of the AFEM), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean Sea (boarding and searching vessel operations east), Mediterranean Sea (east of 28 degrees East longitude), Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Persian Gulf, Philippines, Qatar, Red Sea, Romania (Constanta), Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey (east of 35 degrees East longitude), Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

  1. Under no conditions will units or personnel within the United States be eligible for the GWOT-E.

  2. Afghanistan. Service members who served or are serving in the ACM AOE are not eligible to receive the GWOT-E for service in the ACM AOE during the period of 1 May 2005 to a date to be determined.

 Iraq. Service members who served in the ICM AOE are not eligible to receive the GWOT-E for service in the ICM AOE during the period of April 30, 2005 to December 31, 2011.

 Effective 8 October 2008, Operation NOMAD SHADOW (ONS) is designated as a GWOT-E operation with an initial AOE of Turkey and Northern Iraq (north of 36 degrees North latitude). Service members who qualify for both the ICM and the GWOTE during the same ONS deployment shall be awarded either the ICM or GWOT-E, but not both. No service member shall be entitled to more than one campaign or expeditionary medal for the same period of service.

 Only one award of the GWOT-E is authorized for serving in OEF/OIF, regardless of how many times a member returns to serve in OEF/OIF. Airmen who forward deploy to units within the AOE may be considered for additional campaign awards on a case by case basis providing the member meets the minimum award criteria.

 Service members who earned the AFEM for operations in Southwest Asia (SOUTHERN WATCH, Maritime Intercept, NORTHERN WATCH, and DESERT SPRING) and then became eligible for the GWOT-E between 11 September 2001 to 18 March 2003 can elect to receive either the AFEM or GWOT-E, but they may not be awarded both for the same period.

Authorized Devices:
 1. An Arrowhead Device is authorized to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing, while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission.
 2. Campaign stars are not authorized. Only a combatant commander can initiate a request for a campaign star. The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff is the approval authority for campaign stars.

Category of Award: DoD Campaign Medal

Established by: Executive Order 13289, March 12, 2003

Beginning Date: September 11, 2001

Ending Date: Future date to be determined

Authorized Device(s): Arrowhead Device

References:
AFI 36-2803, The Air Force Military Awards and Decorations Program, Pages 186 and 188
AR 600-8-22, Army Regulation, Military Awards, Page 30 and 31
SECNAVINST 1650.1H, Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, Page 4-27 to 4-30
COMDTINST M1650.25E, Coast Guard Military Medals and Awards Manual, Pages 5-17 and 5-19

Page updated June 9, 2017

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