The Armed Forces Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by order of President William J. Clinton in January 1996. The medal is a theater service award which is presented to those service members who engage in "significant activity" for which no other campaign or service medal is authorized.

The Armed Forces Service Medal was considered as a replacement for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, however the two decorations are considered as separate awards with different award criteria. To qualify for the decoration of the Armed Forces Service Medal a service member must perform at least thirty consecutive days in a geographical theater region. Aircrew members may earn the award if a total of thirty mission days was performed flying into and out of the given area.

This is a regulation size medal.