Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

There are two qualifiers for membership in the VFW, as set out in our National Bylaws. An individual must meet both in order to become a member. They are as follows:

1: Honorable Service – must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently
serving.

2: Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters*. This can be proven by any of the following:

– An authorized campaign medal (see a full list of qualifying medals and badges)
– Receipt of Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (verified by a military pay statement)
– Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days

Dates Awarded: 1937-1939, 1945-1957

China Service Medal –

Dates Awarded: 1937-1939, 1945-1957

American Defense Service Medal –

First awarded	September 8, 1939 (retroactive)
Last awarded	December 7, 1941 (retroactive)

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal –

First awarded	December 7, 1941
Last awarded	March 2, 1946

American Campaign Medal –

Name of campaign	Start Date	End Date
Convoy ON 67	21 February 1942	26 February 1942
USS Atik (AK-101) (antisubmarine operations)	27 March 1942	27 March 1942
USS Asterion (AK-100) (antisubmarine operations)	22 March 1942	31 January 1943
Task Group 21.13	12 July 1942	28 August 1942
Convoy TAG 18	1 November 1942	6 November 1942
Convoy SC 107	3 November 1942	8 November 1942
Task Group 21.14	27 July 1943	10 September 1943
Task Group 21.15	24 March 1944	11 May 1944
USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136) (antisubmarine operations)	24 April 1945	24 April 1945
USS Atherton (DE-169) and USS Moberly (PF-63)	6 May 1945	6 May 1945

Army of Occupation Medal –

Established	5 April 1946[2]
First awarded	2 April 1947[2]
Last awarded	2 October 1990

Navy Occupation Service Medal –

Established	January 22, 1947[1]
First awarded	May 8, 1945
Last awarded	October 3, 1990

Korean Service Medal –

Established	EO 10179, November 8, 1950, as amended[1]
First awarded	1950 (retroactive to June 27, 1950)
Last awarded	July 27, 1954

Navy Expeditionary Medal –

Established	August 5, 1936
First awarded	12 Feb 1874 (Retroactive) (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands)
Last awarded	15 Dec 2002[2]

Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal –

Established	8 May 1919
First awarded Status Currently Awarded	Panama 1873 (retroactive)

Vietnam Service Medal –

Status	Obsolete
Established	8 July 1965 – Executive Order 11231 28 November 1967 – Amended, E.O. 11382 2 February 2003 – Amended, E.O. 13286
First awarded	4 July 1965 Retroactive to 1 July 1958
Last awarded	30 April 1975

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal –

Status	Currently awarded
Established	Executive Order 10977, December 4, 1961

Southwest Asia Service Medal –

Status	Not currently awarded
Established	EO 12754, March 12, 1991, as amended
First awarded	1991 (retroactive to either August 2, 1990 or January 17, 1991 depending on location)
Last awarded	November 30, 1995; 26 years ago

Kosovo Campaign Medal –

Operation(s) / Task Force	From	To
ALLIED FORCE	24 March 1999	10 June 1999
NOBLE ANVIL	24 March 1999	20 June 1999
Task Force Saber	31 March 1999	8 July 1999
Task Force Hunter	1 April 1999	1 November 1999
SUSTAIN HOPE / SHINING HOPE	4 April 1999	10 July 1999
ALLIED HARBOUR	4 April 1999	1 September 1999
Task Force Hawk	5 April 1999	24 June 1999
JOINT GUARDIAN (note 1)	11 June 1999	31 December 2013
Task Force Falcon	11 June 1999	31 December 2013
Note 1: Effective January 1, 2014, award of the KCM for Operation JOINT GUARDIAN transitioned to award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Status	Not currently awarded

Combat Infantryman Badge –

Status	Currently awarded[1]
Established	November 15, 1943
Total	World War II to El Salvador: Unknown Salvadoran Civil War: 69 Invasion of Grenada: 3,534 Invasion of Panama: 8,031 Persian Gulf War: 21,877 Somali Civil War: 1,280 Iraq War: 41,628 War in Afghanistan: 36,518 Inherent Resolve: 30[2][3]

Combat Medical Badge –

Established:January 1945

First awarded:December 06, 1941 (retroactive)

Last awarded:Ongoing

Combat Action Ribbon –

Status	Current issue
Established	Navy Combat Action Ribbon (U.S. Department of the Navy): February 17, 1969 Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon (U.S. Department of Homeland Security): July 16, 2008
First awarded	Navy Combat Action Ribbon: 1969 (retroactive to March 1961)

Air Force Combat Action Medal –

Eligibility	Airmen and guardians in the grades of E-1 through O-6
Status	Currently awarded
Established	15 March 2007
First awarded	12 June 2007 (retroactive to 11 September 2001)

Combat Action Badge –

Status	Currently awarded
Established	May 2, 2005
First awarded	June 29, 2005 (retroactive to September 18, 2001)
Last awarded	Ongoing
Total recipients	68,686 in OIF (as of June 26, 2012) 37,914 in OEF (as of June 26, 2012) 3,828 in OND (as of June 26, 2012) 30 OIR (as of February 12, 2018)[1]

SSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia –

Korea Defense Service Medal –

Eligibility	July 28, 1954 – present
Status	Current
Established	December 2002; 19 years ago[4]
First awarded	February 2004 (retroactive to July 28, 1954)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal –

Eligibility	U.S. military personnel
Status	Active
Established	EO 13289, 12 March 2003
First awarded	2004 (retroactive to 11 September 2001)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal –

Eligibility	U.S. military personnel
Status	Inactive
Established	EO 13363, November 29, 2004; 17 years ago
First awarded	June 2005 (retroactive to October 24, 2001)

Iraq Campaign Medal –

Eligibility	U.S. military personnel
Status	Inactive[1]
Established	29 November 2004[2]
First awarded	2005 (retroactive to 19 March 2003)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal –

Eligibility	15 June 2014 – present
Status	Active
Established	30 March 2016
First awarded	April 2016[1] (retroactive to 15 June 2014)

Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon –

Status	Current
Established	2003

Korea Duty (Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days)

Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay