Медаль «За службу в глобальной войне с терроризмом»: критерии и изменения в награждении.

American service medal

In September 2002, the U. S. Department of Defense sent a request to the U. S. Army Institute of Heraldry to provide a design for a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. In January 2003, a design was completed, which was then approved and made official in March 2003. According to the U. S. Department of Defense, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal will cease being awarded when Presidential Proclamation 7463, "Declaration of National Emergency by Reason of Certain Terrorist Attacks", delivered on 14 September 2001, is terminated by the U. S. government. It was most recently extended in 2022 until 2023.

To receive the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a military service member must have served on active duty during a designated anti terrorism operation for a minimum 30 consecutive or 60 non consecutive days. For those who were engaged in combat, killed, or wounded in the line of duty the time requirement is waived.

In 2004, Defense Department and military service branches began publishing directives, messages, and orders, specifying that the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal would be awarded not only for direct participation in specific operations, but also to any personnel who performed support duty of an anti terrorism operation but did not directly participate. The phrase "support" was further defined as any administrative, logistics, planning, operational, technical, or readiness activity, which provides support to an operation of the Global War on Terrorism. As a result of this blanket term, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal became an eligible award for most personnel of the United States Armed Forces who performed service after 11 September 2001 through March 2004. With the orders granting the GWOT SM for broadly defined "support duty", awarding of the medal has essentially become practically automatic, akin to being a similar type of award as the National Defense Service Medal (graduates of training schools, ROTC, and service academies are typically presented both awards at the same time). The primary difference between the NDSM and the GWOT SM is that the NDSM is automatic as soon as a person joins the military whereas the GWOTSM may only be presented after thirty days of active duty in a unit (or three months in the case of the Reserve Component). The regulations for Reservists and National Guardsmen are also not as well defined for the GWOT SM as they are for the NDSM, since the presentation of the NDSM to reservists and National Guardsmen was codified and clarified as far back as the Persian Gulf War. Widely called the ''support'' loophole, the Department of Defense rescinded this eligibility requirement. U. S. Army soldiers serving on active duty primarily in a training status (basic training, advanced individual training, officer training courses, etc ) are not authorized award of the GWOT SM for the active duty time they are in training. The criteria for the awards specifically states that a Soldier has to serve on active duty in support of a designated GWOT operation (Operation Noble Eagle [ONE], Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF], Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF], Operation New Dawn [OND], Operation Inherent Resolve [OIR], and Operation Freedom's Sentinel [OFS]) for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days. Army soldiers in a training status are not considered to be supporting these designated operations.

Regulations for rating the GWOT SM are the same in the Navy, the Marine Corps, and Military Sealift Command for those who serve on both active duty, reserve duty, and support. Essentially, 30 days of consecutive duty or 60 days of non consecutive duty in support of approved organizations. Eligibility begins when they reach their first permanent duty station. Civilian Mariners (CIVMARs) attached to Military Sealift Command's supply ships may be eligible for the Global War on Terrorism Civilian Service Medal. Beginning 11 September 2022, the Marine Corps will be limiting the award of the GWOT SM to "service members who directly serve in a designated military counter terrorism (CT) operation (e. g., deployed on orders for a designated CT operation; directly supported a designated CT operation on a full time basis while assigned to an organization conducting such a CT operation) for a minimum of 30 days (consecutive or non consecutive)."

Air Force service members were first awarded the GWOT SM for conducting airport security operations in the fall and winter of 2001. It was subsequently awarded for participation or support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. Members must be assigned, attached or mobilized to a unit participating in or serving in support of these designated operations for thirty consecutive days or sixty nonconsecutive days. Personnel who are not deployed may be eligible for service in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Examples of these duties are maintaining and loading weapons systems for combat missions, securing installations against terrorism, augmenting command posts or crisis action teams, and processing personnel for deployment.

Only one award of this medal may be authorized for any individual, thus no bronze or silver 3/16 inch service stars are prescribed for second or subsequent awards.