Part IV.--Campaign and Service Medals

Section 1. General Instructions

  1. Campaign and service medals are issued to members of the naval service to denote participation in a campaign, war or national emergency.

  2. No campaign or service medal shall be awarded to any person in the naval service who, during the inclusive period for which such medal is authorized, served under than honorable conditions.

  3. No more than one of any specific campaign and service medal shall be awarded to an individual.

  4. Medals lost, destroyed or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the individual to whom awarded shall be replaced without charge.

  5. Issuance of campaign and service medals is based on individual application to the Chief of Naval Personnel or the Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps, as appropriate, after completion of initial distribution of each medal is completed. Initial distribution will be as directed by the Chief of Naval Personnel and the Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps in instructions which will be promulgated when medals are available for issuance. Currently, all campaign and service medals established prior to and including the World War II Victory Medal are issued only on individual application. Except as noted below, medals authorized since World War II, are issued by collective requests of commanding officers for personnel when attached to the ship or unit in which earned, and by individual request after such individuals are no longer attached to such ship or unit. The Korean Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal are not available for issuance at this time.

  6. Commanding officers shall maintain current service records up to date indicating campaign and service medals which have been earned and those received by the individual.

  7. Unit commanders, members of their staffs and personnel attached to air or other units automatically derive their eligibility for campaign and service medals and engagement stars thereto in the same manner as personnel regularly assigned to the vessel or unit to which they are attached.

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Table of Contents
Section 2 (Campaign and Service Medals--Requirements for)


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