Editing Service star (section)

==Service stars==
===Expeditionary medals===
Service stars are authorized for these United States expeditionary medals:

* [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]]
* [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]]
* [[Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal]]
* [[Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal]] (GWOT-EM) effective February 9, 2015, retroactive to September 11, 2001.<ref name=GWOTEM-SS>{{cite web|title=DoD Authorizes Service Stars on Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/605375/department-of-defense-authorizes-service-stars-on-the-global-war-on-terrorism-e/|publisher=U.S. Department of Defense|access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref> Each star represents a deployment in support of an approved GWOT operation. Four bronze service stars are authorized for five approved deployment operations (only one GWOT-EM is awarded for each operation). The five GWOT-EM-approved operations by inclusive dates are:<ref name=GWOTEM-SS/>
** [[Operation Enduring Freedom|Enduring Freedom]]: Sep. 11, 2001 – to be determined (TBD)
** [[Operation Iraqi Freedom|Iraqi Freedom]]: Mar. 19, 2003 – Aug. 31, 2010
** [[Nomad Shadow]]: Nov. 05, 2007 – TBD
** [[Operation New Dawn (Iraq, 2010–2011)|New Dawn]]: Sep. 01, 2010 – Dec. 31, 2011
** [[Operation Inherent Resolve|Inherent Resolve]]: Jun. 15, 2014 – TBD

===Service medals===
Service stars are authorized to denoted additional awards for these United States [[service medals]]:
* [[Prisoner of War Medal]]
* [[National Defense Service Medal]]
* [[Humanitarian Service Medal]]
* [[Air and Space Campaign Medal]]
* [[Armed Forces Service Medal]]
* [[Sea Service Ribbon|Army Sea Duty Ribbon]]
* [[Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal]]<ref name=DODM1348.33V3-SS/>

For the National Defense Service Medal, the addition of bronze service stars to denote participation in four of the designated wartime conflicts would be shown as (the time span from the end of the Korean War era in 1954 to the beginning of the Global War on Terrorism era in 2001 is 47 years, so it is highly improbable that any individual qualified for all four National Defense Service Medals in each of four eras):<ref>[http://www.afpc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=7803 Air Force Personnel Center National Defense Service Presidential Unit Citation (Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) Medal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719221637/http://www.afpc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=7803 |date=2014-07-19 }}</ref>
: [[Korean War]]
: [[Vietnam War]]
: [[Gulf War]]
: [[War on Terrorism]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} First award: any one of four conflicts
|-
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} Second award: two of the four conflicts
|-
| {{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} Third award: three of the four conflicts
|-
| {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} Fourth award: all four conflicts
|-
|}

===Unit awards===
Service stars are authorized for certain unit awards (The service ribbon itself indicates the first award, with a bronze service star being added to indicate the second and subsequent awards. If ever applicable, a silver service star is worn instead of five bronze stars.) such as the:
* [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]] (Navy and Marine Corps) 
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]] (Navy and Marine Corps)