Meritorious Service Medal

Criteria:

Awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who distinguished themselves by outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to 16 January 1969. Normally, the acts or services rendered must be comparable to that required for the Legion of Merit but in a duty of lesser though considerable responsibility.

Criteria:
               a.The National Defense Service Medal was awarded for honorable active service for  any period between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954, between 1 January 1961 and 14 August 1974, and between 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995. For the purpose of the award, the following persons will not be considered as performing active service:

(1) Guard and Reserve forces personnel on short tours of duty to fulfill training obligations under an inactive duty training program.

(2) Any person on active duty for the sole purpose of undergoing a physical examination.

(3) Any person on temporary active duty to serve on boards, courts, commissions and like organizations or on active duty for purposes other than extended active duty.

b. The National Defense Service Medal may be awarded to members of the Reserve Components who are ordered to Federal active duty, regardless of duration, except for the categories listed above. Any member of the Guard or Reserve who, after 31 December 1960, becomes eligible for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal or the Southwest Asia Service Medal is also eligible for the National Defense Service Medal.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Criteria:

a. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who after 1 July 1958 participate as members of U.S. military units in a U.S. military operation in which service members of any Military Department participate, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), in significant numbers and encounter during such participation foreign armed opposition, or are otherwise place in such a position that in the opinion of the JCS, hostile action by foreign armed forces was imminent even though it does not materialize.

b. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal may be authorized for three categories of operations: U.S. military operations; U.S. military operations in direct support of the United Nations; and U.S. operations of assistance to friendly foreign nations.

c. The medal shall be awarded only for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is approved.

Armed Forces Reserve Medal

Criteria: Award under one of the following conditions:

a. Awarded for honorable and satisfactory service as a member of one or more of the Reserve Components of the Armed Forces of the United States for a period of 10 years within a 12-year period. Upon completion of the fourth 10-year period, a gold hourglass followed by a bronze hourglass shall be awarded.

b. Awarded for mobilization on or after 1 August 1990, to members called to active duty and served under Title 10, United States Code (USC) (Defense Department) or Title 14 USC (Coast Guard) or the member volunteered and served on active duty in support of US Military operations or contingencies designated by the Secretary of Defense. The "M" device is worn to indicate mobilization. Subsequent mobilizations are denoted by the wear of a number to indicate the number of times mobilized. No hourglass is worn unless authorized under the above paragraph.

Korean Service Award

Criteria:

The Korean Service Medal was awarded for service between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954 under and of the following conditions:

a. Within the territorial limits of Korea in waters immediately adjacent thereto: or

b. With a unit under the operational control of the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, other than those units within the territorial limits of Korea, which has been designated by the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, as having directly supported the military efforts in Korea; Or

c. Was furnished an individual certificate by the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, testifying to material contribution made in direct support of the military efforts in Korea.

Republic of Korea Unit Citation:

Criteria:

The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation is awarded by the Korean government. Not more than one Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation will be worn by any individual and no oak leaf cluster or other appurtenance is authorized.

United Nations Service Medal/ United Nations Medal:

Criteria:

Prior to 13 October 1995, all US Military personnel wore the blue and white United Nations Ribbon (UNTSO) regardless of the ribbon awarded. On 13 October 1995, the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) approved a change to the wear policy of the United Nations Medal. Effective on that date, personnel who are awarded the United Nations Medal may wear the first medal and ribbon for which they qualify. Subsequent awards of the United Nations Medal for service in a different mission will be denoted by a bronze service star. Not more than one ribbon may be worn at any time.

Republic of Korea - Korean War Serivce Medal
Source: Air Force News - Jun 2000

The medal was originally offered to United Nations forces serving in Korea and adjacent waters by the Republic of Korea in 1951. At the time, U.S. law prohibited the military from wearing medals issued by foreign governments; however, Congress changed that in 1954. By then though, most U.S. servicemembers eligible for the medal had returned home.

Criteria:

(1) Served between the outbreak of hostilities, June 25, 1950, and the date the armistice was signed, July 27, 1953;

(2) Been on permanent assignment or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days, and

(3) Performed their duty within the territorial limits of Korea, in the waters immediately adjacent thereto or in aerial flight over Korea participating in actual combat operations or in support of combat operations.