Afghanistan Campaign Medal

1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO ANNOUNCE THE
RECENTLY AUTHORIZED AFGHANISTAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL (ACM). PER
REFERENCES A AND B, PRESIDENT BUSH APPROVED THE ESTABLISHMENT AND
AWARDING OF THE ACM TO RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MILITARY
SERVICE MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF OPERATION
ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF). 
2. TO QUALIFY FOR THIS AWARD MARINES MUST HAVE PARTICIPATED IN
DIRECT SUPPORT OF OEF BEGINNING 24 OCTOBER 2001 TO A FUTURE DATE TO
BE DETERMINED (TBD). THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY (AOE) ENCOMPASSES ALL
LAND AREA OF THE COUNTRY OF AFGHANISTAN AND ALL AIRSPACE ABOVE THE
LAND AREA OF AFGHANISTAN.
3. CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD: MARINES MUST BE ASSIGNED, ATTACHED OR
MOBILIZED TO A UNIT OPERATING IN THE AOE FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE OR 60
NON-CONSECUTIVE DAYS, OR MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
 A. BE ENGAGED IN COMBAT DURING AN ARMED ENGAGEMENT, REGARDLESS
OF THE TIME IN THE AOE.
 B. WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE OPERATION OR ON OFFICIAL DUTIES,
IS KILLED, WOUNDED, OR INJURED REQUIRING MEDICAL EVACUATION FROM THE
AOE.
 C. WHILE PARTICIPATING AS A REGULARLY ASSIGNED AIR CREWMEMBER
FLYING SORTIES WITHIN OR OVER THE AOE IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF MILITARY
OPERATIONS; EACH DAY OF OPERATIONS COUNTS AS ONE DAY OF ELIGIBILITY. 
4. MANNER OF ADJUDICATION: UNIT COMMANDERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO ISSUE
THE ACM TO PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO THEIR COMMAND WHO HAVE MET THE
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, AND THEY ARE TO REPORT THE UNIT DIARY ENTRY
WITH CODE (CA). 
5. THE ACM MAY BE AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY. 
6. PURSUANT TO REF C, ELIGIBILITY FOR THE GWOTEM FOR SERVICE IN
AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN TERMINATED. AFTER 30 APRIL 2005 UNTIL A DATE
TBD, MARINES CAN ONLY EARN THE ACM FOR QUALIFYING SERVICE IN THE
LAND AND AIRSPACE OF AFGHANISTAN.
 A. MARINES WHO PREVIOUSLY EARNED THE GWOTEM FOR QUALIFYING
SERVICE IN AFGHANISTAN PRIOR TO 1 MAY 2005, SHALL REMAIN QUALIFIED
FOR THE GWOTEM. HOWEVER, MARINES MAY ELECT TO BE AWARDED THE ACM IN
LIEU OF THE GWOTEM FOR SUCH SERVICE. THE ELECTION OF THE ACM WILL
BE DOCUMENTED WITH AN APPROPRIATE PAGE 11 ENTRY. 
 B. PERSONNEL WHO ELECT TO RETAIN THE GWOTEM FOR SERVICE IN THE
ACM AOE PRIOR TO 1 MAY 2005 WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO EARN THE ACM FOR
SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENTS WITHIN THE ACM AOE. UNDER NO CONDITION SHALL
PERSONNEL BE ENTITLED TO BOTH MEDALS FOR THE SAME ACTION, TIME
PERIOD OR SERVICE.
7. SERVICE STARS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR THIS AWARD.
8. MANNER OF WEAR: THE ACM WILL BE POSITIONED AFTER THE KOSOVO
CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND BEFORE THE IRAQ CAMPAIGN MEDAL.
9. FMF COMBAT OPERATION INSIGNIA: CONSISTENT WITH REF D, THIS
MINATURE BRONZE MARINE CORPS EMBLEM IS AN AUTHORIZED DEVICE FOR THE
ACM FOR NAVY PERSONNEL ASSIGNED OR ATTACHED TO MARINE CORPS
OPERATING FORCES ENGAGED IN ACTUAL COMBAT DURING THE ELIGIBILITY
PERIOD FOR THE ACM. MARINES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED THIS DEVICE. 
 A. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS DEVICE, A SAILOR MUST SERVE WITH A
MARINE UNIT OR A NAVY UNIT (OPERATING WITH THE MARINE CORPS
OPERATING FORCE AND UNDER MARINE CORPS OPERATIONAL CONTROL), AND
THAT UNIT MUST HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN ACTUAL COMBAT.
 B. COMMANDING OFFICERS HAVE APPROVAL AUTHORITY RETROACTIVE TO
THE ELIGIBILITY DATE OF THIS AWARD, AND SHOULD ISSUE WRITTEN
AUTHORIZATION TO ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL. 
 C. THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS (CMC) IS THE FINAL
AUTHORITY FOR RESOLVING ELIGIBILITY ISSUES FOR THIS DEVICE.
10. THE ACM MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE DEFENSE LOGISTIC AGENCY,
DEFENSE SUPPLY CENTER PHILADELPHIA, VIA THE NORMAL SUPPLY CHANNELS. 
THE NSN FOR THE ACM IS 8455-01-527-8027. 
11. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR RETIRED, DISCHARGED, AND IRR
MARINES.
 A. IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 124 OF REF D, MARINES WHO HAVE
BEEN RETIRED OR DISCHARGED WITHOUT FURTHER OBLIGATED SERVICE MUST
SUBMIT THEIR REQUESTS TO THE NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND, RETIRED RECORD
SECTION (PERS-312D2), 9700 PAGE AVENUE ROOM 5409, ST. LOUIS MO 63132.
 B. MARINES WHO HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY WITH
FURTHER OBLIGATED SERVICE, BUT NOT IN AN ACTIVE DRILLING STATUS
(E.G., IRR STATUS), MUST SUBMIT THEIR REQUESTS TO THE MARINE CORPS
MOBLIZATION COMMAND, 15303 ANDREWS ROAD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64147-1207.
 C. ALL REQUESTS FOR THE ACM MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: COPY
OF DD214, UNIT AND DATES SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN, AND ANY OTHER
DOCUMENTATION TO VERIFY SERVICE IN THE AOE AS NOTED IN PARAGRAPHS 2
AND 3 OF THIS MESSAGE (E.G., ORDERS, PERSONAL AWARD CITATIONS, ETC).
12. A BATTLE STREAMER HAS BEEN APPROVED AND DESIGNED FOR THE ACM,
BUT THE NSN HAS NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED YET, AND IS NOT CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE THROUGH THE MARINE CORPS SUPPLY CHANNEL. 
13. INDIVIDUAL MARINES SHOULD ADDRESS THEIR QUESTIONS REGARDING
THIS MARADMIN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE ADMIN PERSONNEL. ADMIN PERSONNEL
MAY CONTACT CMC (MMMA) AT (703) 784-9206 OR DSN 278-9206.