Closure of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and Authorization to Award the Global War on Terrorism Medal for Operation Enduring Sentinel
This MARADMIN announces the closure of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM) effective 31 August 2021 and authorizes the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-EM) for Operation Enduring Sentinel beginning 1 September 2021. It also establishes eligibility criteria for the ACM with bronze campaign star for Operation Allies Refuge and the Humanitarian Service Medal for personnel who provided direct humanitarian assistance to evacuees at designated safe haven locations.
Issued: July 13, 2022
1. Pursuant to Ref A, award of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM) is terminated effective 31 August 2021. Effective 1 September 2021, award of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-EM) is hereby authorized for Operation ENDURING SENTINEL (OES). The OES GWOT-EM area of eligibility is the same as Operation FREEDOM'S SENTINEL.<br> 2. Service members who deployed to the ACM area of eligibility (AOE) for Operation ALLIES REFUGE (OAR) during the period 1 July 2021 to 31 August 2021 are authorized the ACM with one bronze campaign star. The requirement for a Service member to serve for 30 days consecutively, or 60 days non-consecutively, in the AOE is waived for OAR—any single day inside Afghanistan in support of OAR qualifies. Service members who already participated in campaign phase "Transition II" from 1 January 2015 to 31 August 2021 are not authorized a subsequent campaign star for deployment ISO OAR.<br> 3.a. Ref C authorized the HSM for Service members who were physically present and provided direct humanitarian assistance to the evacuees during transportation to, and initial settlement at designated safe haven locations between 1 July 2021 and 31 August 2021. Personnel who supported OAR from within Afghanistan are eligible only for the ACM, and not for the HSM.<br> 3.b. Safe haven locations are listed below per REF C.<br> 3.b.1. OCONUS:<br> BAHRAIN<br> Shaikh Isa Air base<br> GERMANY<br> Rhine Ordnance Barracks & Ramstein<br> KOSOVO<br> Camp Bonsteel<br> KUWAIT<br> Camp Buehring & Ali Al Salem Air Base<br> QATAR<br> Al Udeid Air Base, Camp As Sayliyah, & Camp Doha<br> ROTA, SPAIN<br> SIGONELLA, ITALY<br> SAUDI ARABIA<br> Prince Sultan Air Base<br> UNITED STATES EMIRATES<br> Abu Dhabi & Al Dahfra<br> 3.b.2. CONUS:<br> NEW JERSEY<br> Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst<br> NEW MEXICO<br> Holloman Air Force Base<br> TAMPA, FLORIDA<br> VIRGINIA<br> Chantilly, Dulles, MCB Quantico, Fort Pickett, & Fort Lee<br> WISCONSIN<br> Fort McCoy<br> Note: Personnel must have been assigned to the safe haven location as outlined above. As stated in ref B and C, direct participation is defined as being physically present at the designated location and having directly contributed to and influenced the action. Deployment to the area of humanitarian assistance in and of itself does not constitute HSM entitlement. Commanders in the grade of O-6 have awarding authority and are responsible for determining HSM eligibility. HSM submissions are to be processed and approved via the Improved Awards Processing System.<br> 4. Effective 1 September 2021, award of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-EM) is herby authorized for Operation ENDURING SENTINEL (OES). The associated Operation ENDURING SENTINEL GWOT-EM area of eligibility is the same as Operation FREEDOM'S SENTINEL.<br> 5. This MARADMIN is applicable to the total force.<br> 6. Release authorized by MajGen Michael J. Borgschulte, Director,Manpower Management Division.