National Defense Service Medal won’t be awarded after December

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National Defense Service Medal won’t be awarded after December
By Meghann Myers and Davis Winkie
Sep 6, 09:33 AM
The National Defense Service Medal, awarded to all troops who have served since 9/11, won't be awarded after Dec. 31. (Defense Department)

Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the formal end of combat operations in Iraq, the Defense Department is preparing to truly transition the military out of a wartime posture. Which is to say, the National Defense Service Medal is going back into retirement on Dec. 31.

The award ― affectionately known as the “pizza stain,” which all troops serving since 9/11 have been able to pin on their uniforms after initial training ― won’t be awarded for the foreseeable future.

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT Charlie Lee SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth ] Sgt (Join to see) SFC (Join to see) SPC Michael Terrell CPL Douglas Chrysler A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney GySgt Jack Wallace SGT Mark Anderson CPL LaForest Gray SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM PV2 Larry Sellnow MSG Darold R. PO2 Marco Monsalve SGT Steve McFarland