The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John F. Kennedy. The medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, participated in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, or U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations.
Appearance
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is issued as a bronze medal, 1 inches in diameter.
The obverse side of the medal consists of an eagle, with wings addorsed and inverted (representing the strength of the United States Armed Forces), standing on a sword loosened in its scabbard, and super- imposed on a radiant compass rose of eight points, (representing the readiness to serve wherever needed) all within the circumscription "ARMED FORCES" above and "EXPEDITIONARY SERVICE" below with a sprig of laurel on each side. On the reverse side of the medal is the shield from the United States Coat of Arms above two laurel branches separated by a bullet, all within the circumscription "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA".
The ribbon is 1 inches wide and consists of the following stripes: inch Green, inch Golden Yellow, inch Spicebrown, inch Black, inch Bluebird, inch Ultramarine Blue, inch White, inch Scarlet, inch Bluebird, inch Black, inch Spicebrown, inch Golden Yellow and inch Green.
Ribbon devices
A bronze service star is authorized for participation in subsequent U.S. military operations authorized for award of the AFEM (only one award is authorized for each designated U.S. military operation). A silver service star is worn in lieu of five bronze service stars.
The Arrowhead device is authorized for United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Space Force personnel who are awarded the medal through participation in an airborne or amphibious assault.
The Fleet Marine Force Combat Operation Insignia is authorized for U.S. Navy service members assigned to Marine Corps units that participate in combat during the assignment.
During the early years of the Vietnam War, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal was issued for initial operations in South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal was intended to replace the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal and Navy Expeditionary Medal, but this never occurred and both services continue to award their service expeditionary medals and the AFEM, though not concurrently for the same action.
In 1965, with the creation of the Vietnam Service Medal, the AFEM was discontinued for Vietnam War service. As the Vietnam Service Medal was retroactively authorized, those personnel who had previously received the AFEM were granted the option to exchange the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for the Vietnam Service Medal. In 1968, the AFEM was awarded for Naval operations in defense of the , which was seized by North Korea, as well as for Korean Service, and awarded for Thailand and Cambodia operations in 1973. Because of these awards during the Vietnam War period, some military personnel have been awarded both the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal & the Vietnam Service Medal. Some military advisers involved in the 1973 Arab–Israeli War were also awarded the medal for their involvement in the supply and training of the IDF on the use and deployment of anti-tank weapons.
In the 1990s, it was awarded to numerous Naval ships such as who enforced the Dayton Peace Accords and operated in the Adriatic Sea enforcing UN arms embargo against Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and participating in Operation Sharp Guard and Operation Joint Endeavor up through and during the Bosnian crisis.
In 1993, Somalia, (The Battle of Mogadishu), also known as the Black Hawk Down Incident, was part of (Operation Gothic Serpent). Operation Gothic Serpent was a military operation conducted in Mogadishu, Somalia, by an American force code-named (Task Force Ranger) during the Somali Civil War in 1993. The (Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal) was awarded to numerous Naval ships in the Amphibious Squadron 5, the USS New Orleans (LPH-11), USS Denver (LPD-9), USS Comstock (LSD-45), and USS Cayuga (LST-1186).
In 2003, with the creation of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the AFEM was discontinued for Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. After 18 March 2003, some personnel became eligible for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, as well as the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Only one medal may be awarded, however, and individuals or units that deployed to the Gulf for Operation Southern Watch, and then immediately transitioned to Operation Iraqi Freedom, are not eligible for both medals.
Beginning in 1992 an effort was begun to phase out the AFEM in favor of campaign specific medals and the newly created Armed Forces Service Medal. The Armed Forces Service Medal was also originally intended to be a replacement for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, however the two awards are currently considered separate awards with different award criteria. The primary difference between the two is that the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is normally awarded for combat operations and combat support missions.
Approved operations
U.S. military operations
After the close of the Vietnam War, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal was issued for various military operations in Panama, Grenada, and Libya Operation El Dorado Canyon.
| 1 October 1966
| 30 June 1974
|-
| Arab–Israeli War (Operation Nickel Grass)
| October 6, 1973
| October 25, 1973
|-
| Cambodia (Evacuation-Operation Eagle Pull)
| 11 April 1975
| 13 April 1975
|-
| Vietnam (Evacuation Operation Frequent Wind)
| 29 April 1975
| 30 April 1975
|-
| Mayagüez Operation
| 15 May 1975
| 15 May 1975
|-
| Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury)
| 23 October 1983
| 21 November 1983
|-
| Libya (Operation El Dorado Canyon)
| 12 April 1986
| 17 April 1986
|-
| Persian Gulf (Operation Earnest Will)
| 24 July 1987
| 26 September 1988
|-
| Panama (Operation Just Cause)
| 20 December 1989
| 31 January 1990
|-
| Somalia, Operation Restore Hope Unified Task Force
| 5 December 1992
| 4 May 1993
|-
| Somalia, Battle of Mogadishu, (Operation Gothic Serpent)
| 22 August 1993
| 13 October 1993
|-
| Somalia, Operation United Shield
| 9 January 1995
| 3 March 1995
|-
| Haiti (Operation Uphold Democracy)
| 16 September 1994
| 31 March 1995
|-
| Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, waters of the Arabian / Persian Gulf (Operation Southern Watch)
| December 1995
| March 2003
|-
| Saudi Arabia (Operation Southern Watch)
| December 1995
| March 2003
|-
| Haiti (Operation Secure Tomorrow)
| 29 February 2004
| 15 June 2004
|-
| Former Republic of Yugoslavia
|1 January 2014
| to a date to be determined
|}
U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations
The medal is also authorized for several United Nations actions, such as peacekeeping efforts in Somalia.
| 1 June 1992
| 19 December 1996
|-
|Former Republic of Yugoslavia (Operation Joint Guard) Following the close of Desert Storm, and the engagement in peacekeeping and sanction missions against Iraq, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal was issued again for several operations such as Operation Northern Watch, Operation Southern Watch, and Operation Vigilant Sentinel. Each service star represents a deployment in support of an approved GWOT operation. Only one GWOT-EM is awarded for each operation (five bronze service stars are authorized for six approved deployment operations). The GWOT-EM approved operations by inclusive dates are: