Iraq Campaign Medal
(The Ribbon Works will not determine eligibility or authorization - the above is provided for information only)
Copyright, 2011 The Ribbon Works All Rights Reserved
The Iraq Campaign Medal may be awarded to members of the Uniformed Services of the United States who serve, or
who have served in Iraq or its contiguous waters and air space, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from March
19, 2003 to a date to be announced (or until the cessation of Operation Iraqi Freedom).
-- The area of eligibility encompasses all land area of the country of Iraq and the contiguous water area out to
12 nautical miles, and all air spaces above the land area of Iraq and above the contiguous water area out to 12
nautical miles.
-- To be eligible for the Iraq Campaign Medal, a Service member must be assigned or attached to a unit
participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq for 30 consecutive days or for 60 nonconsecutive days or meet one
of the following criteria:
-- Be engaged in actual combat against the enemy under circumstances involving grave danger of death or serious
bodily injury from enemy action, regardless of the amount of time the individual has served in Iraq;
-- While participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom or on official duties (regardless of the time spent in Iraq) is
killed, wounded or injured to the extent that he or she requires medical evacuation from Iraq; or,
-- While participating as a regularly assigned aircrew member flying sorties into, out of, within, or over Iraq in
direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; each day that one or more sorties are flown in accordance with these
criteria shall count as one day towards the 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive day requirement.
-- Service members who qualified for the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal by reason of service between
March 19, 2003 and April 30, 2005 shall remain qualified for that medal. However, any such person may be awarded
the Iraq Campaign Medal in lieu of the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for that service, at his or her request.
In addition, any Army soldier who was authorized the arrowhead device may be awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal
with arrowhead device in lieu of the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with arrowhead device.
-- No service member shall be entitled to both the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Iraq Campaign
Medal for the same act, achievement, or period of service.
-- Only one award of the Iraq Campaign Medal may be authorized for any individual.
-- The Iraq Campaign Medal may be awarded posthumously to any Service members who loses his or her life
while, as a direct result of participating in qualifying operations, without regard to the length of time in the area of
eligibility, if otherwise applicable.