The Korea Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States Armed Forces that was first created in 2002 when it was signed into law by President George W. Bush.
The Korea Defense Service Medal is authorized for those members of the United States Armed Forces who have served duty in South Korea after the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement
in support of the defense of the South Korean state. To qualify for the
KDSM, a service member must have served at least thirty consecutive
days in the Korean theater. The medal is also granted for 60
non-consecutive days of service which includes reservists on annual
training in South Korea.
Exceptions are made for the 30/60 days time requirement if a service
member participated in a combat armed engagement, was wounded or injured
in the line of duty requiring medical evacuation, or participated as a
regularly assigned aircrew member in flying sorties which totaled more
than 30 days of duty in Korean airspace. In such cases, the KDSM is
authorized regardless of time served in theater.
The Korea Defense Service Medal is retroactive to the end of the Korean War and is granted to any service performed after July 28, 1954. The National Personnel Records Center
is responsible for verifying entitlement of the KDSM to discharged
members of the military who served in Korea prior to the creation of the
KDSM.
As an official Department of Defense exception to policy, service members may be entitled to both the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the KDSM for participation in operations in Korea during the same timeframe between October 1, 1966 - June 30, 1974.
Only one award of the Korea Defense Service Medal is authorized, regardless of the amount of time served in the Korean theater.
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