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Kosovo Campaign Medal


The Kosovo Campaign Medal was established by Executive Order 13154 signed by President William J. Clinton on 03 May 2000. It may be awarded to Navy and Marine Corps personnel for participating in prescribed operations, campaigns and task forces ranging in dates from 24 March 1999 to present. 

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. 

Source: Department of Defense

06 October 2001

Published: Wed May 03 12:06:25 EDT 2017