Kosovo
Campaign Medal
1999-Present
The Kosovo Campaign Medal has a very convoluted
award criteria. For the first time in history, this operation was supported
by troops that were not always in the theater. For this reason, the award
criteria was written in such a way that only those who actually served
in the Area of Eligibility (AOE) received the medal. I have also heard
stories from friends in the service of units being pulled out of the 'AOE'
only a few days before the full 30 day limit specifically to avoid the
award of the medal. I guess all those medals create too much paperwork...
I really don't see that the difference between serving 25 days or 30 days
in the AOE should make any difference, but I do not write the criteria.
There is also a good online article
on this topic at: http://www.pstripes.com/medals5.htm
This medal is of y2001 manufacture
and is in perfect condition.
The criteria is as follows:
Dates of eligibility
Military members authorized to receive
the medal must have participated in or served in direct support of one
or more of the following Kosovo operations within the Kosovo Air Campaign
or Kosovo Defense Campaign area of eligibility:
- Allied Force (March 24, 1999 - June
10, 1999)
- Joint Guardian (June 11, 1999 -
date to be determined)
- Allied Harbour (April 4, 1999 -
July 10, 1999)
- Sustain Hope/Shining Hope (April
4, 1999 - July 10, 1999) or
- Noble Anvil (March 24, 1999 - July
20, 1999)
Also Kosovo Task Force(s):
- Hawk (April 5, 1999 - June 24, 1999)
- Saber (March 31, 1999 - July 8,
1999)
- Falcon (June 11, 1999 - dtbd, coincides
with Joint Guardian) or
- Hunter (April 1, 1999 -Nov. 1, 1999)
Note: Must serve 30 consecutive days
or 60 nonconsecutive days.
Air Campaign
The Kosovo Air Campaign (March 24,
1999 - June 10, 1999) area of eligibility is 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.
Defense Campaign
The Kosovo Defense Campaign (June
11, 1999 - ongoing) area of eligibility is 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.
Additional 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 eligibility;
-- While participating in the operation,
regardless of time, is wounded or injured and requires medical evacuation
from the area of eligibility;
-- While participating as regularly
assigned aircrew member flying sorties into, out of, within, or over the
area of eligibility in direct support of the military operations. |
