Air Force Approves Wear of New Medals

The Air Force has authorized wear of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Iraqi Campaign Medal. The Department of Defense campaign medals apply to active duty, Reserve and Guard personnel deployed on or after Oct. 24, 2001 for Operation Enduring Freedom and March 19, 2003 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. Airmen deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, who have 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, between the eligibility period and April 30, 2005 may elect to wear either the appropriate campaign medal or the GWOT-E medal, but not both. 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. For more information, contact the local CSS or MPF, or see this related article.