The area of operations for these various campaigns includes the total land area and air space of Serbia (including Kosovo), Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, and the waters and air space of the Adriatic Sea within 12 nautical miles of the Montenegro, Albania, and Croatia coastlines south of 42 degrees and 52 minutes North latitude.

Personnel must be members of a unit participating in, or be engaged in direct support of, the operation for 30 consecutive days in the area of operations or for 60 non-consecutive days provided this support involves entering the area of operations or meets one of the following criteria:

Be engaged in actual combat, or duty that is equally as hazardous as combat duty, during the operation with armed opposition, regardless of time in the area of operations; While participating in the operation, regardless of time, is wounded or injured and requires medical evacuation from the area of operations; While participating as a regularly assigned aircrew member flying sorties into, out of, within, or over the area of operations in direct support of the military operations.

One bronze service star shall be worn on the ribbon for qualifying participation during an established campaigns. However, that if an individual's 30 or 60 days began in one campaign and carried over into another, that person would only qualify for the medal with one service star. The medal is not awarded without at least one service star.

The executive order provides that service members who qualify for either the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or the Armed Forces Service Medal for service in Kosovo between 24 March 1999 and 01 May 2000, remain qualified for those medals. However, upon application, any such member may be awarded the Kosovo Campaign Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or the Armed Forces Service Medal, but no Service member may be awarded more than one of these three medals for the same period of service in Kosovo.

The stylized wreath of grain at the base of the obverse reflects the agricultural character of the area and its economy and symbolizes basic human rights while highlighting the desire of all for peace, safety and prosperity. The rocky terrain, fertile valley, and mountain pass refer to the Dinartic Alps and the campaign's theater of operations. The sunrise denotes the dawning of a new age of unity and hope, the right to forge a future of freedom, progress, and harmony; thus fulfilling the goal of the NATO alliance.

The suspension ribbon's red, white, and blue colors were suggested by the NATO alliance's colors, and the red, white, and blue central pinstripes represent the colors of the United States flag.

Description: A Bronze medal, 1 3/8 inches in diameter, with the stylized wreath of grain, reflecting the agricultural domination of the area and its economy, symbolizes the basic human rights while highlighting the desire of all for peace, safety and prosperity. The rocky terrain, fertile valley, and mountain pass refer to the Dinartic Alps and the Campaign Theater of operations. The sunrise denotes the dawning of a new age of unity and hope; the right to forge a future of freedom, progress and harmony, thus fulfilling the goal of the Alliance. On the reverse an outline of the Yugoslavian Province of Kosovo, denoting the area of conflict, is combined with a NATO star and highlighted compass cardinal points, signifying the Alliance participants who stabilized the region and provided massive relief. The inscription "IN DEFENSE OF HUMANITY" reinforces the objective of the action.

Ribbon: The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches in width. It is composed of the following vertical stripes: 15/32 inches Old Glory Blue 67178; 7/64 inch Scarlet 67111; 5/32 inch White 67101; 7/64 inch Old Glory Blue 67178; 15/32 inch Scarlet 67111.

Criteria: Service Members authorized the Kosovo Campaign Medal must have participated in or served in direct support of Kosovo Operation(s): ALLIED FORCE (24 Mar through Jun 1999); JOINT GUARDIAN (11 Jun 1999 through To Be Determined); ALLIED HARBOUR 4 Apr through 1 Sep 1999); SUSTAIN HOPE/SHINING HOPE (4 Apr through 10 Jul 1999); NOBLE ANVIL (24 Apr through 20 Jul 1999); or Kosovo TASK FORCE (S): HAWK (5 Apr through 24 Jun 1999); SABER (31 Mar through 8 Jul 1999); or HUNTER (1 Apr through 1 Nov 1999) within the Kosovo Air Campaign or Kosovo Defense Campaign areas of eligibility (AOE):

a. Kosovo Air Campaign (24 March 1999 through 10 June 1999) AOE: the total land area and air space of Serbia (including Kosovo), Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy and Slovenia; and the waters and air space of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea north of the 39th North latitude.

b. Kosovo Defense Campaign (11 Jun 1999 through To Be Determined) AOE: The total land area and air space of Serbia (including Kosovo), Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, and the waters and air space of the Adriatic seas within 12 nautical miles of the Montenegro, Albania, and Croatia coastlines South of 42 degrees and 52 minutes North latitude.

Criteria: Service members must be bonafide members of a unit participating in or be engaged in direct support of the Operation for 30 consecutive days in the AOE or for 60 nonconsecutive days provided this support involves the entering the Operations AOE or meet one or more of the following criteria:

a. Be engaged in actual combat, or duty that is equally hazardous as combat duty, during the Operation with armed opposition, regardless of time in the AOE.

b. While participating in the Operation, regardless of time, is wounded or injured and required medical evacuation from the AOE.

c. While participating as regularly assigned aircrew member flying sorties into, out of, within, or over the AOE in direct support of the military operations.

Naval Vessels: The Secretary of Defense approved the award to the following Navy vessels as an exception to the 30 consecutive days within the Kosovo Air Campaign AOE criteria: USS Norfolk, USS Miami, USS Bose, USS Albuquerque, USS Nicholson, USS Philippine Sea, and USS Gonzalez.

Service Stars. One Bronze Service Star shall be worn on the suspension and service ribbon of the Kosovo Campaign Medal for qualified participation during campaign period (an individual who participated in one campaign would wear the Medal and/or Service Ribbon with one star). Meeting the qualification in each of the two campaigns would warrant the Medal and two Bronze Service Stars. However, if an individual's 30 or 60 days began in one campaign and carried over into the 2d campaign, they would only qualify for the Kosovo Campaign Medal and one Service Star.

Components: The following are authorized components of the Kosovo Campaign Medal.

a. Decoration (regular size): MIL-DTL-3943/269.

b. Decoration (miniature size): MIL-DTL-3943/269.

c. Ribbon: MIL-DTL-11589/532.

d. Lapel Button: MIL-DTL-11484-266.

Background: a. The Kosovo Campaign Medal was established by Executive Order 13154, dated 3 May 2000 to recognize the accomplishments of military service members who participated in or was in direct support of the Kosovo Operations.

b. The Kosovo Campaign Medal will be worn in chronological sequence after the Southwest Asia Service Medal or after the last Service Award. Order of precedence and wear policy for service medals awarded to Army personnel is contained in Army Regulation (AR) 670-1. Policy for awards, approving authority and supply of medals is contained in AR 800-8-22. The policy for display of campaign streamers on guidons/flags and supply of streamers is contained in chapter 8, 840-10.

Establishing Authority

The Kosovo Campaign Medal was established by Executive Order 13154 signed by President William J. Clinton on May 3, 2000, and published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2000.

Effective Dates

The Kosovo Campaign Medal may be awarded to United States military personnel for participating in the operations and campaigns listed below:

Allied Force - March 24, 1999 through June 10, 1999; Joint Guardian - June 11, 1999 to a date to be determined; Hunter - April 1 through November 1, 1999; Allied Harbour - April 4, 1999 through September 1, 1999; Sustain Hope / Shining Hope - April 4, 1999 through July 10, 1999; and, Noble Anvil - March 24, 1999 through July 20, 1999;

Kosovo Tasks Forces

Hawk - April 5, 1999 through June 24, 1999; Saber - March 31, 1999 through July 8, 1999; and, Falcon - June 11, 1999 through November 1, 1999.

Kosovo Air Campaign

March 24, 1999 through June 10, 1999 (the area of operations for this campaign included the total land area and air space of Serbia (including Kosovo), Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, and Slovenia; and the waters and air space of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea north of the 39th North Latitude. Note: Secretary of Defense Richard Cohen approved award of the Kosovo Campaign Medal to the following Navy vessels for participation in this campaign as an exception to the 30 consecutive day rule described below: USS Norfolk; USS Miami, USS Bose; USS Albuquerque, USS Nicholson, USS Philippine Sea, and the USS Gonzalez.

Kosovo Defense Campaign

June 11, 1999 to a date to be determined. The area of operations includes the total land area and air space of Serbia (including Kosovo), Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, and the waters and air space of the Adriatic Sea within 12 nautical miles of the Montenegro, Albania, and Croatia coastlines south of 42 degrees and 52 minutes North Latitude.

Criteria

Service members must be bona fide members of a unit participating in, or be engaged indirect support of, the operation for 30 consecutive days in the area of operations or for 60 non-consecutive days provided this support involves entering the area of operations or meets one of the following criteria:

- Be engaged in actual combat, or duty that is equally as hazardous as combat duty, during the operation with armed opposition, regardless of time in the area of operations;

- While participating in the operation, regardless of time, is wounded or injured and requires medical evacuation from the area of operations;

- While participating as a regularly assigned aircrew member flying sorties into, out of, within, or over the area of operations in direct support of the military operations.

Order of Precedence

The Kosovo Campaign Medal is worn after the Southwest Asia Service Medal and before the Armed Forces Service Medal.

Devices

Two bronze service stars are authorized for the The Kosovo Campaign Medal, and the medal is not awarded without a bronze service star. One bronze service star is authorized for qualifying participation in either the Kosovo Air Campaign or the Kosovo Defense Campaign. Note, however, that if an individual's 30 or 60 days began in one campaign and carried over into another, that person would only qualify for the medal with one service star.

Designer

The Kosovo Campaign Medal was designed by Nadine Russell of the Army's Institute of Heraldry.

First Recipient

The identity of the first recipient of the Kosovo Campaign Medal is not known.

Description and Symbolism

Obverse

In the center of a bronze medallion, two mountains with a pass between them rest in front of a fertile valley and atop a wreath composed of two stylized sheaves of wheat. Behind the mountains a rising sun, and superimposed over the sun's rays are the words, in two lines, KOSOVO CAMPAIGN. The stylized wreath of grain reflects the agricultural character of the area and its economy and symbolizes basic human rights while high-lighting the desire of all for peace, safety and prosperity. The rocky terrain, fertile valley, and mountain pass refer to the Dinartic Alps and the campaign's theater of operations. The sunrise denotes the dawning of a new age of unity and hope, the right to forge a future of freedom, progress, and harmony; thus fulfilling th4e goal of the Alliance.

Reverse

In the center of a bronze medallion, the outline of a map of the Yugoslavian Province of Kosovo. Beneath the map is a three-pointed star. In a circle surrounding the map and star are the words IN DEFENSE OF HUMANITY. The outline of the Province of Kosovo denotes the area of conflict, and is combined with the NATO star, the highlighted cardinal points of the compass, signifying the Alliance participants who stabilized the region and provided massive relief. The inscription reinforces the objective of the military action conducted during the campaign.

Ribbon

The ribbon consists of red, white, and blue pinstripes of equal width in the center; the ribbon to the wearer's right is dark blue and abuts to the red pinstripe; the ribbon to the wearer's left is red, and abuts to the blue pinstripe. The red, white, and blue were suggested by the NATO Alliance's colors, and the red, white, and blue pinstripes represent the colors of the United States flag.

EXECUTIVE ORDER EO 13154

Effective Date: May 03, 2000
Responsible Office: Office of Policy Coordination and International Relations
Subject: Establishing the Kosovo Campaign Medal