CDRPERSCOM ALEXANDRIA VA//TAPC-PDO-PA// MILPER MESSAGE NR.99-157 AWARD OF THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL OR ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL FOR OPERATION JOINT FORGE IN THE FORMER REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
A. SECTION 572, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT, FY98, NOV 97.
B. MILPER MESSAGE NR. 99-100, DTG 121605Z MAR 99, SUBJ: AWARD OF THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL FOR OPERATIONS JOINT ENDEAVOR AND JOINT GUARD.
C. MILPER MESSAGE NR. 96-098, DTG 081615Z MAR 96, SUBJ: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL AND AWARD FOR OPERATIONS RELATING TO THE FORMER REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA.
D. MILPER MESSAGR NR. 98-016, DTG 141530Z NOV 97, SUBJ: ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL--OPERATION JOINT GUARD AND TERMINATION OF THE AFSM FOR OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR.
E. HQ, PERSCOM MESSAGE, DTG 1614Z NOV 98, SUBJ: ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL--TERMINATION OF THE AFSM FOR OPERATION JOINT GUARD.
F. AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS, 25 FEB 95.
1. THIS MESSAGE WILL EXPIRE 31 MAY 2001.
2. THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES THE EXTENSION OF REF ALPHA TO ALLOW AWARD OF EITHER THE AFEM OR AFSM TO SERVICE MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION JOINT FORGE (OJF), EFFECTIVE 21 JUN 98 TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED.
3. AWARD OF THE AFEM IS LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE PARTICIPANTS IN OR PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT TO OJF WHO ARE OR WERE DEPLOYED IN THE COUNTRIES OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND CROATIA, ABOARD US NAVAL VESSELS OPERATING IN THE ADRIATIC SEA, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AIR SPACE.
4. AWARD OF THE AFSM IS LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE PARTICIPANTS IN OR PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT TO OJF WHO ARE OR WERE DEPLOYED IN SLOVENIA, MONTENEGRO, MACEDONIA, SERBIA, AND HUNGARY; AND THEIR REPECTIVE AIR SPACE.
5. UNLIKE THE AFEM AND AFSM AUTHORIZED FOR OJE AND OJG, NO SERVICE MEMBER WILL BE AWARDED BOTH THE AFEM AND THE AFSM FOR PARTICIPATION OR DIRECT SUPPORT OF OJF, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.
6. TO QUALIFY FOR THE AFEM FOR OJF, SERVICE MEMBERS MUST BE A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF A UNIT PARTICIPATING FOR ONE OR MORE DAYS IN OJF WITHIN THE DESIGNATED AOE AS DEFINED IN PARA 3 ABOVE, OR MEET ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
A. BE DEPLOYED IN THE AOE ON OFFICIAL ORDERS TO OJF AND PARTICIPATE OR PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT WITHIN THE AOE DEFINED ABOVE FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OR 60 NONCONSECUTIVE DAYS.
B. PARTICIPATE AS A REGULARLY ASSIGNED CREW MEMBER OF AN AIRCRAFT FLYING INTO, OUT OF, WITHIN, OR OVER THE AOE LAND AREA OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND CROATIA, ADRIATIC SEA AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AIR SPACE.
7. TO QUALIFY FOR THE AFSM FOR OJF, SERVICE MEMBERS MUST BE A BONA FIDE MEMBER OF A UNIT PARTICIPATING FOR ONE OR MORE DAYS IN OJF WITHIN THE DESIGNATED AOE AS DEFINED IN PARA 4 ABOVE, OR MEET ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
A. BE DEPLOYED IN THE AOE ON OFFICIAL ORDERS TO OJF FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OR 60 NONCONSECTUIVE DAYS.
B. PARTICIPATE AS A REGULARLY ASSIGNED CREW MEMBER OF AN AIRCRAFT FLYING INTO, OUT OF, WITHIN, OR OVER THE AOE LAND AREA OF SLOVENIA, MONTENEGRO, MACEDONIA, SERBIA, AND HUNGARY; AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AIR SPACE.
8. THE AFEM AND AFSM ARE CAMPAIGN/THEATER SERVICE AWARDS. THEREFORE, SERVICE MEMBERS ARE AUTHORIZED ONLY ONE AWARD OF THE AFEM OR AFSM FOR OJE, OJG, OJF. NO BRONZE SERVICE STARS ARE AUTHORIZED FOR OPERATIONS IN THE FORMER REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (FRY).
9. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, COMMANDERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO AWARD EITHER THE AFEM OR AFSM TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. PERMANENT ORDERS ARE NOT REQUIRED. MILITARY PERSONNEL DIVISIONS/PERSONNEL SERVICE BATTALIONS WILL UPDATE PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION RECORDS USING THIS MESSAGE AS THE AUTHORITY. THE AUTHORIZED ABBREVIATIONS USED TO ANNOTATE SECTION VIII OF THE ORB AND ITEM 9 OF THE FORM 2-1, AND THE SIDPERS SUBMISSION CODE TO UPDATE THE OMF TO SHOW AWARD OF THE AFEM OR AFSM ARE AS FOLLOWS:
ITEM 9, 2-1/ORB: ARMED-FCS-EXP-MDL ARMED-FCS-SVC-MDL
SIDPERS CODE: AE 01-99 AH 01-99
9. VETERANS AND RETIREES MAY REQUEST AWARD OF THE AFEM OR AFSM FOR SERVICE IN OJF BY WRITING TO THE NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER, ATTN: ARMY REFERENCE BRANCH, 9700 PAGE AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63132-5100.
10. FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE PLEASE CALL HQ, PERSCOM (TAPC-PDO-PA), AT DSN 221-9171, COMM (703) 325-9171.