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Armed Forces Service Medal

The Armed Forces Service Medal is one of the few medals of America that President Bill Clinton created. All five branches of the military began issuing these military medals and ribbons in January of 1996. These US military medals are presented to service members who engage in significant activity for which no other campaign or service medal is authorized. These military decorations are often awarded for participation in peace-keeping and humanitarian actions or support for NATO or the United Nations forces. The significant activity for which these medals of America stand, is determined by the theater commander to have a high degree of scope, impact, and international significance. The primary difference between the Armed Forces Service Medal and the Armed forces Expeditionary Medal is that the former is awarded for actions where no foreign armed opposition or imminent threat of hostile action was encountered, while the later is issued for combat operations or support thereof. Generally, the Armed Forces Service Medal is awarded to personnel who serve at least 30 days of consecutive duty in the theater region. Aircrews may earn these military ribbons and medals for thirty mission days of flying into and around the theater area.

Additional awards of the Armed Forces Service Medal are denoted by Service Stars in all five branches of the military. The Armed Forces Service Medal is worn below the Korea Defense Service Medal, and above the Humanitarian Service Medal in the general order of precedence which has been established for the proper display of all military ribbons and medals. The Armed Forces Service Medal s generally available for all branches of service, and can be worn as traditional full size military medals and mini medals, military ribbons, and lapel pins. Like most military medals, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, and slide-on military ribbons, or the newer thin mini-medals, and the ultra-thin military ribbons that have become so very popular among up and coming military personnel who know how important it is to their career advancement to always maximize the neatness and smartness of their uniform appearance.