National Defense Service
Medal
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| The National Defense Service
Medal will be awarded to all persons in the Naval service who
served on active duty at any time between 27 June 1950 and 27 July
1954. [Also see below]
All personnel serving on active
duty during the above period are eligible for this award with the
exception of reserve personnel on active duty for training, reserve
personnel on short tours of active duty to serve on boards, courts,
commissions, etc., and any persons ordered to active duty who, on
physical examination incident thereto, are disqualified and immediately
released from active duty. (Executive Order No. 10448 of 22
April 1953 and Department of Defense Directive 1348.7 of 15 July 1953.)
Following
the precedent of the pre-World War II American
Defense Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal has been
worn by three "generations" of sailors and Marines for three distinct
periods of our military history.
Designed
by the Army's Institute of Heraldry in Cameron Station, Va., the first
medals were issued during the Korean War era and note active federal
service performed as part of normal extended duty between 27 June 1950
and 27 July 1954, both dates inclusive.
The
next period of eligibility coincided with that of the Vietnam War, with
duty between 01 Jan. 1961 and 14 Aug. 1974 being the criteria for the
award, both dates inclusive. This amended period of eligibility was
established by Executive Order 11265 of 11 January 1966.
The
most recent period of award encompasses Southwest Asia service, with
eligibility beginning 02 Aug. 1990, based on Executive Order 12776 from
President George Bush on 18 October 1991. The terminal eligibility date
for this period later was set as 30 Nov. 1995.
Interestingly,
because of the expanded role of military reservists in "Desert Shield"
and "Desert Storm," President Bush's executive order extended the
medal's award to those drilling members of the Selected Reserve.
Sailors
and Marines with active duty in two or more of the periods wear a small
bronze service star on the ribbon for each additional eligibility
period.
Any
member of the Naval Reserve who, after 31 December 1960, becomes
eligible for the award of the Armed
Forces Expeditionary Medal or the Vietnam
Service Medal, is also eligible for award of the National Defense
Service Medal.
Source: 1953 U.S. Navy Awards
Manual, current Awards Manual
21 June 1998
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Marine Embassy Guard
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Historical Archives - Main Pages V0.0 |
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