GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM EXPEDITIONARY

Since its creation through George W. Bush's 2003 executive order, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal has been awarded to members of the Armed Forces who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11, 2001 to a date still to be determined. It primarily recognizes troops such as pilots and sailors who deployed overseas in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, but didn't put boots on the ground in either country. 

Criteria for the medal states a military service member must 1) perform duty in a deployed status and 2) participate in designated anti-terrorism operation for either thirty consecutive or sixty non-consecutive days of duty. There is no time requirement for those engaged in combat, wounded while in the line of duty, or killed in action. 

"Deployed status" is defined as either temporary or permanent orders to a duty station outside U.S. borders in direct support of anti-terrorism operations. That deployment must also be in a nation the Department of Defense recognizes as a base for anti-terrorist operations; currently more than 50 countries from Afghanistan to Yemen and bodies of water such as the Persian Sea and the Suez Canal meet that qualification. Units or personnel within the U.S. are never eligible for the War on Terror Expeditionary medal.