Southwest Asia Service Medal


The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty as part of the Persian Gulf War and for a time thereafter. The medal was designed by Nadine Russell of the Army's Institute of Heraldry. The colors of the ribbon are tan, representing sand, with the black, white, red, blue, and green colors symbolizing the colors of coalition countries' national flags.

History

Individuals awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal must have participated in or supported military operations in Southwest Asia between August 2, 1990, and November 30, 1995. That period of inclusion includes participation in Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm:
Individuals serving in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria and Jordan directly supporting combat operations between January 17, 1991, and April 11, 1991, are also eligible for this award.
To receive the award, a service member must be: attached to or regularly serving for one or more days with an organization participating in ground/shore military operations; attached to or regularly serving for one or more days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations; actually participating as a crew member in one or more aerial flights directly supporting military operations in the areas designated; or serving on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days, except, if a waiver is authorized for personnel participating in actual combat.
For those service members who performed "home service" during the Persian Gulf War, such as support personnel in the United States, the Southwest Asia Service Medal is not authorized. The award is also not authorized for those who performed support of the Persian Gulf War from European or Pacific bases.
; Ribbon devices
; Campaigns:
Designated campaigns are as follows:
CampaignFromTo
Defense of Saudi ArabiaAugust 2, 1990January 16, 1991
Liberation and Defense of KuwaitJanuary 17, 1991April 11, 1991
Southwest Asia Cease-FireApril 12, 1991November 30, 1995

One campaign: service ribbon with one -inch bronze star
Two campaigns: service ribbon with two -inch bronze stars
Three campaigns: service ribbon with three -inch bronze stars

While several operations occurred in the geographical areas described above between April 12, 1991, and November 30, 1995, including Operation Provide Comfort, Operation Southern Watch and Operation Vigilant Warrior, these operations were covered under the third campaign, Southwest Asia Cease-Fire. Service in Operations that extended beyond the final campaign date of November 30, 1995, were recognized by awards of either the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or the Armed Forces Service Medal. Thus, the maximum number of bronze service stars that are authorized to be worn for the Southwest Asia Service Medal's ribbon or streamer is three.

2016 redesign

In April 2016, the appearance of the suspension and service ribbon of the SWASM was slightly modified by the United States Department of Defense through the Defense Logistics Agency. The DLA made the two vertical green bars and one vertical black bar in the middle wider than in the original 1991 version.