UNCLASSIFIED
181615Z OCT 96

CDRPERSCOM ALEXANDRIA VA//TAPC-PDA//
OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON

A. AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS.

B. AR 614-30, OVERSEAS SERVICE.

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

1. THE OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON (OSR) IS AUTHORIZED FOR AWARD TO MEMBERS OF THE US ARMY UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF OVERSEAS TOURS AS PRESCRIBED BY REF B, AS LONG AS THAT TOUR WAS NOT RECOGNIZED WITH THE AWARD OF ANOTHER US SERVICE/CAMPAIGN MEDAL.

2. ON 17 SEP 96, THE DCSPER AUTHORIZED, AS A ONE-TIME EXCEPTION, THE USE OF RULE 7, TABLE 7-1, REF B, TO AWARD SHORT-TOUR CREDIT FOR SOLDIERS OF ALL COMPONENTS DEPLOYED TDY/TCS TO GERMANY (VERSUS THE THEATER OF OPERATIONS) IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR. IN THESE CASES, THE OSR MAY BE AWARDED WITHOUT REGARD TO THE TIME SERVED IN GERMANY, AS LONG AS THE OVERSEAS SERVICE IS NOT RECOGNIZED WITH ANOTHER US SERVICE/CAMPAIGN MEDAL. THIS CONSTITUTES AN EXCEPTION TO THE PROVISIONS OF PARA 5-4C OF REF A WHICH REQUIRES CREDIT FOR NORMAL OVERSEAS TOUR COMPLETION IN ORDER FOR A SOLDIER TO QUALIFY FOR AWARD OF THE OSR. THIS EXCEPTION WILL AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATE UPON COMPLETION OF OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR.

3. EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY, COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE RECORDS OF ALL SOLDIERS TDY/TCS IN GERMANY'S CENTRAL REGION IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR ARE SCREENED UPON REDEPLOYMENT TO DETERMINE IF AWARD OF TOUR CREDIT AND THE OSR IS APPROPRIATE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS EXCEPTION; AND THAT THE PERSONNEL RECORDS ARE PROPERLY POSTED IAW REF C.

4. REQUEST WIDEST DISSEMINATION OF THIS MESSAGE.