ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPROVAL OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL (AFSM) FOR OPERATIONS ALLIES REFUGE (OAR) AND ALLIES WELCOME (OAW)

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SUBJ/ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPROVAL OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL (AFSM) FOR 
OPERATIONS ALLIES REFUGE (OAR) AND ALLIES WELCOME (OAW)// 
 
REF/A/DOC/DOD/27JAN2023// 
REF/B/DOC/DOD/20JUN19// 
REF/C/DOC/SECNAV/16AUG2019// 
 
NARR/REF A ANNOUNCES APPROVAL OF THE AFSM FOR OPERATIONS ALLIES REFUGE (OAR) 
AND ALLIES WELCOME (OAW).   
REF B IS DOD 1348.33M VOL2, SECDEF MANUAL OF MILITARY DECORATIONS AND 
AWARDS.   
REF C IS SECNAV M-1650.1, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL.// 
 
RMKS/1.  As required by reference (a), the following guidance is provided for 
award of the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM). 
 
2.  AFSM Eligibility Criteria. 
    a.  The AFSM has been approved by the award authority for award to 
eligible Service members for qualifying participation in Operation ALLIES 
REFUGE (OAR)and Operation ALLIES WELCOME (OAW) during the period 31 August 
2021 to 1 April 2022. 
    b.  Per references (b) and (c), the AFSM is a deployed service medal 
awarded to members who, after 1 June 1992 participate or have participated, 
as members of U.S. military units, in a designated U.S. military operation 
deemed to be a significant activity and encountered no foreign armed 
opposition or imminent hostile action. 
    c.  As an exception, the requirement that a Service member deploy in 
order to qualify for award of the AFSM is waived for members at locations 
providing direct support, such as those physically receiving, housing, 
sustaining, or providing medical support, to evacuees, provided the member 
was reassigned from their primary duties to provide full-time support to the 
evacuees for at least 30 days, consecutively or non-consecutively, during the 
designated period of award. 
    d.  Area of Eligibility (AOE).  AOE locations: 
Qatar - Al Udeid Air Base, Camp As Sayliyah, Camp Doha 
Kuwait - Camp Buehring and Ali Al Salem Air Base; 
Bahrain - Shaikh Isa Air Base 
United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra 
Saudi Arabia - Prince Sultan Air Base 
Kosovo - Ferizaj, Camp Bondsteel 
Germany - Stuttgart; Wiesbaden; Kaiserslautern, Ramstein Air Base, Rhine 
Ordnance Barracks, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center 
Spain - Rota 
Italy - Sigonella 
Colorado - Peterson Space Force Base 
Florida - Tampa 
Indiana - Camp Atterbury 
New Jersey - Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst 
New Mexico - Holloman Air Force Base 
Pennsylvania - Philadelphia International Airport 
Texas - Fort Bliss, Fort Sam Houston 
Virginia - Dulles International Airport, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Fort 
Lee, Fort Pickett 
Wisconsin - Fort McCoy; 
    e.  As an exception, due to the expansive nature of OAR and OAW, award is 
authorized to Service members at non-listed AOE locations, provided the 
member:  (1) was at a location providing direct support, such as physically 
receiving, housing, sustaining, or providing medical support, to evacuees; 
and 
    (2) meets the additional AFSM award criteria, to include criteria 
outlined in reference (a). 
 
3.  Awarding Authority. 
    a.  Active/Reserve personnel.  Determination for personnel is delegated 
to the command level of O-6/civilian equivalent or above.  Awarding 
authorities must confirm individual participation by verifying assignment via 
orders, evaluations/fitness reports, or other official documentation which 
verifies participation in support of OAR and OAW.  Once verified, commands 
should submit the appropriate service record documentation via their 
personnel office. 
    b.  Navy veterans.  Navy personnel honorably discharged or retired before 
announced approval of these awards and who meet the criterion above may 
submit a written request for consideration for award of the AFSM.  Written 
request must indicate the qualifying unit and dates assigned, a copy of the 
Service Members unredacted DD-214, and any supporting documentation 
(evaluation, fitness report, TAD or PCS orders) showing service with the 
qualifying unit or individual participation.  Requests may be mailed 
to:  Navy Personnel Command (PERS 312), 5720 Integrity Drive, Millington, TN 
38055. 
     c.  Only one award of the AFSM may be received for participation in the 
OAR and OAW. 
 
 
4.  Participating Units and Personnel. 
    a.  As required by reference (c), commanding officers whose units meet 
the criteria for award of the AFSM must submit a completed OPNAV 1650/14 
which should include a list of qualified personnel to cnoawards@us.navy.mil.   
These units will be entered into the awards database.  This is to facilitate 
documentation only and does not imply unit-wide approval.  Individual service 
record documentation continues to be a command responsibility. 
    b.  Navy personnel attached to DoD, Joint, or other non-Navy commands who 
meet the criteria outlined above should have their DoD or Joint command 
confirm eligibility and submit the appropriate service record documentation. 
 
5.  Released by Mr. Andrew S. Haeuptle, Director, Navy Staff.// 
 
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