Why you don't add campaign stars on the NATO medal?

2022-05-08T13:23:25-04:00

Since I'm duty today, I'd figured I'd ask the community as I start reading the regulation. Other than the Afghanistan, Iraq & Syria (Inherent Resolve) service ribbons, has anyone ever wondered why you don't add campaign stars on the NATO medal?

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made May 8 at 2022 3:17 PM

2022-05-08T15:17:07-04:00

Is it a service medal or campaign medal? In RVN, we got a campaign medal from RVN and a service medal from the US. The service medal had the campaign stars. The campaign medal had a bar with 60-. That what the RVN guvment had on it and as a foreign decoration that was it. NATO would be a foreign decoration, so what ever they put on it would be it. When the Army authorizes a foreign decoration, the acceptance says where and how worn.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made May 8 at 2022 10:44 PM

2022-05-08T22:44:59-04:00

You do. But only for different campaigns. And for NATO the entire time in Afghanistan is one campaign. But I have a star on mine, as well as being able to choose which of two "versions" of the NATO medal / ribbon I want to wear, because I also have a NATO medal from Bosnia. So I have two different campaigns, one for Bosnia, one for Afghanistan - NATO with one service star. (I use the Afghanistan version, the silver stripe in the middle of the white is prettier. And let's face it, that's what ALL of the ribbons are about - looking pretty.)

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2022 11:55 AM

2022-05-09T11:55:34-04:00

The NATO medal is a foreign award where as the other awards are campaign medals. For the campaign medals one star is worn for each designated campaign you serve in. For the NATO medal you add one star for each award (see para 9-11 of AR 600-8-22). The key point of differentiation is that while the Afghanistan medal has 6 eligible campaigns, the Iraq medal had 7 eligible campaigns, and the IR medal has 4 eligible campaigns (to date), the periods for award of the NATO medal have been much longer. For example in Afghanistan there have been two periods for award: ISAF (JUN2003 - DEC2014) and Resolute Support (JAN2015-TBD).

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2022 12:32 AM

2022-05-11T00:32:40-04:00

I was tracking that you did add Campaign/Service Stars to the NATO Medal for multiple awards of the medal as NATO authorizes different medals for different campaigns that denote different ribbons and rather than allowing troops to wear multiple NATO medals the awarded Soldier would wear the initial NATO medal and then add stars to it.

This also comes up as most NATO Medals (foreign) are awarded with Campaign Clasps, this can be seen on the NATO Medal awarded in Afghanistan for Enduring Freedom or Freedom's Sentinel in which a bronze bar with the word "AFGHANISTAN" is attached to the medal and ribbon. This is not authorized for U.S. wear.

So if you were on multiple NATO missions, i.e. Bosnia and Afghanistan then you would add a star but only wear the ribbon of whichever medal was awarded first.

I would check 600-8-22 to be 100% certain as I am only going off memory from when I was helping a Vet complete their Shadow Box.