Ending Date for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM)

1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN MESSAGE IS TO
ANNOUNCE THE ENDING DATE FOR THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL
(AFEM) THAT WAS APPROVED FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH, AND TO
PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THIS AWARD.
2. PER REF A, THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF (JCS) HAS ESTABLISHED THAT
18 MARCH 2003 IS THE ENDING DATE TO THE PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR
THE AFEM FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH. PER REF B THE AFEM WAS
APPROVED FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH COMMENCING ON 1 DEC 1995 TO A
DATE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS ARE ALSO APPROVED
FOR THE AFEM: 
 A. MARITIME INTERCEPT (1DEC95-18MAR03)
 B. VIGILANT SENTINEL (1DEC95-15FEB97)
 C. DESERT THUNDER (11NOV-22DEC98) 
 D. DESERT FOX (16DEC-22DEC98)
 E. DESERT SPRING (31DEC98-18MAR03)
 F. NORTHERN WATCH (1JAN97-18MAR03)
3. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS AWARD MARINES/SAILORS MUST HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED OPERATIONS FOR 30
CONTINUOUS OR 60 NON-CONTINUOUS DAYS IN THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY
(AOE), OR PARTICIPATED IN ACTUAL COMBAT, OR WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED
IN ACTION AND EVACUATED, REGARDLESS OF TIME IN THE AOE.
4. PER REFERENCES B AND C, THE AOE FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH IS
EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE LAND AREA AND AIRSPACE OF SAUDI ARABIA,
KUWAIT, AND IRAQ AND THE WATERS OR AIRSPACE ABOVE THE ARABIAN GULF
WEST OF 62E LONGITUDE. PERSONNEL SERVING ABOARD VESSELS IN THE RED
SEA IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE
FOR THE AFEM PROVIDED THAT THE CRITERIA IS MET.
5. PERSONNEL WHO EARNED THE AFEM PRIOR TO 18 MARCH 2003, MAY ALSO
BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL
(GWOTEM) FOR A SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENT TO THE AOE PROVIDED THAT THEY
MEET THE CRITERIA OUTLINED IN REF E. HOWEVER, PER REF C, UNDER NO
CIRCUMSTANCES WILL A MARINE/SAILOR BE ELIGIBLE TO THE AFEM AND THE
GWOTEM FOR THE SAME ACT OR PERIOD OF SERVICE. 
FOR EXAMPLE:
 A. UNITS THAT DEPLOYED TO THE AOE FOR THE AFEM UNDER OPERATION
SOUTHERN WATCH PRIOR TO 18 MARCH 2003, THEN TRANSITIONED INTO
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UNDER THE SAME DEPLOYMENT PERIOD ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE FOR BOTH MEDALS. 
 B. CONVERSELY, THOSE UNITS THAT COMPLETED THEIR DEPLOYMENT FOR
OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH PRIOR TO 18 MARCH 2003, THEN LATER WERE
REDEPLOYED FOR OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM COULD BE ENTITLED TO 
BOTH MEDALS, PROVIDE THAT THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IS MET FOR BOTH
MEDALS.
6. UNIT COMMANDERS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR
MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMAND THAT WERE ERRONEOUSLY AWARDED BOTH OF THESE
MEDALS FOR THE SAME ACT. MARINES WILL BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO ELECT
EITHER THE AFEM OR THE GWOTEM, BUT NOT BOTH. UNIT COMMANDERS WILL
ENSURE THAT THE MARINE'S ELECTION IS RECORDED ON A PAGE 11 OF THE
MARINES SERVICE RECORD, AND THE APPROPRIATE AWARD IS REPORTED ON UD.
THIS GUIDANCE HAS BEEN COORDINATED THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.