Establishing Authority
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) approved a Non-Article 5 NATO medal for personnel participating in NATO support operation International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The Deputy Secretary of Defense has authorized the acceptance and wear of this medal by U.S. military and civilian members.
Criteria
Personnel eligible for this award are those member of units or staffs as set out in the Joint Operations Area (JOA) Combined Joint Statement of Requirements taking part in NATO operations in Afghanistan in accordance with the qualifying conditions. Entitlement will be acquired by those forces under NATO command or control while in the JOA, and those deployed to the JOA under national command in support of the NATO operation.
The Afghanistan JOA is defined as the political boundaries and airspace of Afghanistan, according to ISAF operational plans.
The period of qualifying service in the Afghanistan JOA is thirty (30) days continuous or accumulated service from June 1, 2003 to a termination date to be determined. Aircrew members will accumulate one day's service for the first sortie flown of any day; additional sorties flown on the same day receive no further credit. This requirement exists for support as well as combat aircraft; support aircraft includes tanker, airlift and surveillance platforms.
Designer
The design of the medal was specified by the NATO.
Order of Precedence
The NATO Medal has the same precedence as the UN Medal, but ranks immediately below it when the wearer is entitled to both medals.
Devices
Section II4 of the General Regulations For the NATO Medal states that, "A clasp shall denote the specific theatre, or Area of Operations, or Operation, in respect of which the Medal is being Awarded." However, the rules of acceptance of the medal by American personnel provide that, "the wearing of ribbon clasps with the NATO medal or service ribbon is not authorized for U.S. Service members. U.S. Service members may wear only the basic medal or service ribbon." For United States military personnel, subsequent awards of the NATO Medal are denoted by bronze stars affixed to the ribbon of the medal and to the ribbon bar.
Description and Symbolism
Obverse
In the center of a bronze medallion, the NATO emblem (a four-pointed star emitting a ray from each point superimposed on an annulet), enclosed in base by a wreath of olive.
Reverse
In a circular band following the contour of the medal, the words NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION in the upper quadrant, and ORGANISATION DU TRAITE DE L'ATLANTIQUE NORD in the lower two-thirds. In the center of the medallion is a sprig of olive between the inscription IN SERVICE OF PEACE AND FREEDOM and SERVICE DE LA PAIX ET DE LA LIBERTE below.