Today’s post is inspired by Thomas Richardson, a skilled archives technician at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri.
The United States Armed Forces awards system stands as a complex hierarchy, encompassing a vast array of accolades. These range from decorations bestowed for extraordinary acts of valor to those recognizing broad participation across all service branches. While a select few veterans are honored with awards denoting exceptional gallantry, valor, and bravery—such as the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, and Distinguished Service Cross—many more receive common awards like the Army Service Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, and the Honorable Discharge Button. These more routine awards are frequently encountered within millions of military personnel records.
However, among these standard recognitions, one medal has attained a uniquely prominent status: the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM). Established in the twilight of the Korean War, the NDSM has become a familiar fixture on the ribbon racks of countless veterans.
Rear Admiral James Bond Stockdale wearing numerous military decorations
Formal portrait of U.S. Navy Rear Admiral James Bond Stockdale in dress white uniform. A highly decorated officer with 26 personal combat decorations, pictured on 7/6/2005. (National Archives Identifier 6669738)
The Department of Defense estimates that, since its inception in 1953, the NDSM has been awarded at least four million times, and this figure doesn’t even include retroactive applications. The authorization of the NDSM rests with the Secretary of Defense, who determines when a national emergency warrants its issuance. This discretionary power has led to periods where the NDSM was not actively awarded.
A significant shift occurred on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, the first anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin signed orders to cease the issuance of the National Defense Service Medal for the War on Terror. Effective January 1, 2023, service members enlisting after this date will no longer automatically receive this medal. This cessation marks the end of the longest continuous period of NDSM authorization: 21 years, 3 months, and 20 days.
Close-up of the National Defense Service Medal. (Courtesy of the Air Force Personnel Center)
But what are the origins of this award? How did it become such a routine part of military service? The answers lead back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. During the Korean War, President Eisenhower grew increasingly concerned about escalating Cold War tensions. While President Harry Truman had already established the Korean Service Medal for those who served in that specific conflict, Eisenhower envisioned a broader “blanket campaign” medal. This medal would be awarded to any honorably discharged veteran who served on active duty during a period defined as a “national emergency,” as determined by the Secretary of Defense. Regardless of their duty station, the NDSM would recognize their commitment to military service during times of national crisis.
On April 22, 1953, President Eisenhower formalized this concept by issuing Executive Order 10448, “Establishing the National Defense Service Medal.” This order outlined the fundamental eligibility criteria:
There is hereby established the National Defense Service Medal, with suitable appurtenances, for award, under such regulations as the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force and the Secretary of the Treasury may severally prescribe, and, subject to the provisions of this order, to members of the armed forces of the United States who shall have served during any period between June 27, 1950, and a terminal date to be fixed by the Secretary of Defense…
This executive order delegated the authority to define specific eligibility periods to the Secretary of Defense. The Department of Defense subsequently issued a directive on July 15, 1953, further detailing personnel eligibility, issuance procedures, and the ribbon’s design.
Page 1 of the Department of Defense Directive regarding the National Defense Service Medal, dated July 15, 1953. (National Archives Identifier 26035612)
Page 2 of the Department of Defense Directive regarding the National Defense Service Medal, dated July 15, 1953. (National Archives Identifier 26035612)
Since 1953, the NDSM has been amended by three subsequent executive orders, deactivated and reactivated four times, and its eligibility expanded from solely active duty service to include National Guard and Reservist service. The four periods of active authorization have aligned with significant wars: Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the War on Terror. During the Vietnam War era, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, even active duty service members stationed stateside, along with reservists and Guardsmen, became eligible for the award. Similar criteria were applied to participants in Operation Desert Storm. The War on Terror saw the broadest expansion of NDSM eligibility. Post-9/11, service members could almost automatically receive the NDSM after completing 90 consecutive days of active duty, excluding initial entry training.
For those serving on active duty during multiple authorized periods, a bronze star appurtenance is added to the NDSM and its ribbon to denote each additional award. Officer cadets graduating from military academies and Officer Candidate Schools also become eligible for the NDSM upon commissioning.
Despite its widespread issuance, the National Defense Service Medal can sometimes be overlooked during veteran discharges, especially for those with brief periods of service. Many veterans who served during one of the four authorized periods apply for retroactive issuance of the NDSM if it is not included on their discharge documents.
However, this era of automatic issuance is concluding after December 31, 2022. The Department of Defense’s decision to end the continuous authorization of the NDSM suggests a shift towards a more peacetime posture, characterized by reduced troop deployments and counterterrorism operations. While the United States remains engaged in Syria, major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have concluded. For many veterans, the NDSM has been a constant presence, a near-automatic recognition of service. Its distinctive appearance and commonality even led to a somewhat irreverent nickname: the “pizza stain,” referencing its red and yellow color scheme. Yet, despite its formulaic criteria and widespread distribution, the National Defense Service Medal embodies a significant meaning for many: a symbol of their commitment and service to the nation during times of perceived national need.
Update: As of January 1, 2023, the National Defense Service Medal is no longer automatically issued to those enlisting after December 31, 2022. Individuals on active duty for 30 days prior to that date remain eligible for the award.
For further information, please consult the following links:
It is important to note that if the NPRC cannot verify entitlement to specific awards, requests are forwarded to the relevant service branch for adjudication.
We also encourage you to submit further inquiries to History Hub’s Military Records Community.
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