National Defense Award

The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Created in 1953, the National Defense Service Medal was intended to be a "blanket campaign medal" awarded to any member of the United States military who served honorably during a designated time period of which a "national emergency" had been declared.

As of 2010, with an issuance span of sixty years, the National Defense Service Medal is the oldest service medal still in circulation by the United States armed forces, followed second by the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal which has been active since 1961. Combat and meritorious decorations (such as the Medal of Honor, Achievement Medals, and Commendation Medals) are older still but are classified under separate award criteria from service medals.

Eligible periods

In the years since the creation of the National Defense Service Medal, it is authorized only for the following time periods:

June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1954 for service during the Korean War
January 1, 1961 to August 14, 1974 for service during the Vietnam War
August 2, 1990 to November 30, 1995 for service during the Gulf War
September 11, 2001 to a date to be announced for service during the War on Terrorism