German Armed Forces Service Medal

Infobox Military Award
name=German Armed Forces Service Medal


caption=Service Medal, face
awarded_by=the Federal Republic of Germany
type=Military Medal
eligibility=Soldiers of the German armed forces
for=Military Campaigns
status=Currently awarded
description=Comes in three classes, Gold, Silver and Bronze
established= 25 April 1996


caption2= Ribbon bar

The German Armed Forces Service Medal (German: Einsatzmedaille der Bundeswehr") is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The decoration is awarded for military service in a designated military campaign. It is awarded to all German soldiers regardless of rank. It is also the only type of German campaign medal awarded, the only difference is the campaign bar worn on the medal and ribbon.

The decoration has three grades: The grade is not awarded by the persons rank but by the time a person served in the designated campaign area.
* Bronze for 30 days in country.
* Silver is for 360 days in country.
* Gold for 690 days in country.

Design

The medal is round, on its center is displayed the German eagle surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves, the reverse side is plain.

The ribbon has two black stripes on the edges with two red stripes beside it and two golden stripes on the in side with another bold red stripe in the middle, the ribbon bar has the campaign bar attached to it.

Campaign Bars

*UNPF, SFOR, IFOR, EUFOR - awarded respectively for service in Bosnia-Herzegovina
*UNOMIG - awarded for United Nations service in Georgia
*UNSCOM - awarded for a special commission in Iraq
*UNHCR - awarded for humanitarian service with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
*UNMEE - awarded for United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
*OSZE 1 - awarded for missions in the name of the OSCE
*KFOR - awarded for service in Kosovo
*KVM - awarded for the "Kosovo Verifications Mission" of the OSCE
*FOX - awarded for "Operation Amber Fox" in the Republic of Macedonia
*EU 1 - awarded for the follow-up mission of "Amber Fox"
*ALLIED HARVEST - awarded for operations in Macedonia
*ALLIED HARMONY - awarded for the NATO peacekeeping-mission in the Republic of Macedonia
*SHARP GUARD - awarded for Operation Sharp Guard
*UNMAC - awarded for United Nations Mission in the Republic of Macedonia
*AFOR - humanitarian assistance in Albania
*ACT.ENDEAVOUR - awarded for Operation Active Endeavour
*INTERFET - awarded for UN service in East-Timor
*E.FREEDOM - awarded for Operation Enduring Freedom
*EAGLE ASSIST - awarded for Operation Eagle Assist
*ISAF - awarded for service in Afghanistan
*ACEH - humanitarian assistance in Aceh, Indonesia after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
*SWIFT RELIEF - humanitarian assistance in Pakistan after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake

ee also

*Order of Merit Cross of the German Federal Republic
*Bundeswehr Crosses & Medal of Honor
*German Armed Forces Flood Service Medal
*German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency
*German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship
*German Parachutist Badge
*German Sports Badge