UNCLASSIFIED
131205Z NOV 95

TAPC-PDO-PA
MILPER MESSAGE NR 96-027
SUBJECT: TERMINATION DATE FOR THE SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE MEDAL AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL AND AWARD OF THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH

A. DOD 1348.33-M, MANUAL OF MILITARY DECORATIONS AND AWARDS, JUN 93.

B. AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS, FEB 95.

C. AR 600-8-104, MILITARY PERSONNEL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT/RECORDS,  27 APR 92.

D. AR 680-29, MILITARY PERSONNEL, ORGANIZATION, AND TYPE OF TRANSACTIONS CODE, 1 MAR 89.

1. THIS MILPER MESSAGE WILL EXPIRE 30 NOV 97.

2. THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS APPROVED A TERMINATION DATE FOR THE SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE MEDAL (SWASM) AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL (NDSM). THIS TERMINATION DATE OFFICIALLY CLOSES OUT THE THIRD CAMPAIGN FOR THE SWASM. THE INCLUSIVE PERIOD FOR THE THIRD CAMPAIGN, SOUTHWEST ASIA CEASE-FIRE, IS 12 APR 91 TO 30 NOV 95. THE INCLUSIVE PERIOD FOR AWARD OF THE NDSM IS 2 AUG 90 TO 30 NOV 95. THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE NDSM AND THE SWASM ARE IN PARAS 2-10 AND 2-14 OF REF B.

3. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TERMINATION DATE FOR THE SWASM AND NDSM, THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS AUTHORIZED AWARD OF THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL (AFEM) FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH IN SOUTHWEST ASIA BEGINNING 1 DEC 95 TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED BY THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. THE AREA OF OPERATIONS CONSISTS OF THE TOTAL LAND AREA AND AIRSPACE OF SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT AND IRAQ, AND THE WATERS AND AIRSPACE ABOVE THAT PORTION OF THE ARABIAN GULF THAT LIES WEST OF 056 DEGREES EAST LONGITUDE. SERVICE MEMBERS SERVING ABOARD VESSELS IN THE RED SEA IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH WILL ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE AFEM. THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE AFEM IS IN PARA 2-12 OF REF B.

4. SERVICE MEMBERS WHO QUALIFIED FOR THE SWASM AND SUBSEQUENTLY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THE AFEM AWARDED FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH MAY ELECT TO RECEIVE THE AFEM INSTEAD OF THE SWASM. HOWEVER, NO SERVICE MEMBER MAY BE ISSUED BOTH MEDALS FOR SERVICE IN THE SOUTHWEST ASIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN 2 AUG 90 AND A DATE TO BE DETERMINED FOR TERMINATION OF THE AFEM FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH.

5. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, MILITARY PERSONNEL DIVISIONS/PERSONNEL SERVICE BATTALIONS WILL UPDATE PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION RECORDS USING THIS MESSAGE AS THE AUTHORITY. PERMANENT ORDERS FOR THESE SERVICE MEDALS ARE NOT, REPEAT, ARE NOT REQUIRED.

A. THREE CAMPAIGNS HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED FOR THE SWASM, DEFENSE OF SAUDI ARABIA (2 AUG 90 TO 16 JAN 91); LIBERATION AND DEFENSE OF KUWAIT (17 JAN 91 TO 11 APR 91) ; AND SOUTHWEST ASIA CEASE-FIRE (12 APR 91 TO 30 NOV 95).

B. THE AUTHORIZED ABBREVIATIONS USED TO ANNOTATE SECTION VIII OF THE ORB AND THE SIDPERS SUBMISSION CODES TO UPDATE THE OMF ARE AS FOLLOWS:

SIDPERS CODE: SB01 ABBREV: SW-ASIA-SM-BSS-1

SIDPERS CODE: SB02 ABBREV: SW-ASIA-SM-BSS-2

SIDPERS CODE: SB03 ABBREV: SW-ASIA-SM-BSS-3

SIDPERS CODE: AE 01-99 ABBREV: ARMED-FCS-EXP-MDL

ONLY ONE ENTRY IS NECESSARY FOR AWARD OF THE SWASM. FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN OFFICER SERVED IN ONLY ONE OF THE THREE CAMPAIGNS, HIS OR HER ORB SHOULD REFLECT SW-ASIA-SM-BSS-1. THE ANNOTATION ON THE ORB SHOULD REFLECT THE NUMBER OF CAMPAIGNS AN OFFICER SERVED IN, NOT THE NUMBER ASSIGNED TO THE CAMPAIGNS.

C. THE AUTHORIZED ABBREVIATIONS USED TO ANNOTATE A SOLDIER'S DA FORM 2-1, ITEM 9 ARE AS FOLLOWS:

AWARD: SW-ASIA-SM

CAMPAIGNS: DEF OF SAUDI ARABIA

LIB DEF OF KUWAIT

SWA CEASE-FIRE

(SEE TABLE 5-2, ITEM 9 AND FIG 5-8, REF C FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE.)

6. A BRONZE SERVICE STAR SHALL BE WORN ON THE SUSPENSION MEDAL AND SERVICE RIBBON OF THE SWASM FOR EACH CAMPAIGN IN WHICH A SERVICE MEMBER SERVED IN SOUTHWEST ASIA.

7. FOR AIG 7406, REQUEST THAT THE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE CLOSE-OUT DATE FOR THE NDSM BE DISSEMINATED TO THE INITIAL ENTRY STATIONS ASAP.

8. REFERENCES A, B, AND D WILL BE UPDATED LATER TO INCLUDE THE TERMINATION DATE FOR THE SWASM AND NDSM, AWARD OF THE AFEM FOR OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH, AND SIDPERS SUBMISSION CODES/ABBREVIATIONS.

9. POINTS OF CONTACT AT THIS HEADQUARTERS ARE CW4 WENDLAND AND MRS. WHITE, DSN 221-8700, COMM (703) 325-8700.