Editing Armed Forces Service Medal (section)

==Criteria==
The Armed Forces Service Medal is the non-combat parallel of the [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] which is normally awarded for combat operations and other combat support missions.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/08/19/troops-who-deployed-us-mexico-border-are-getting-medal.html|title=Troops Who Deployed to the US-Mexico Border Are Getting a Medal|last=Harkins|first=Gina|date=2019-08-19|website=Military.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-21|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The AFSM may be awarded to service members who, on or after June 1, 1992:<ref name="dtic.mil1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134833v2_dodm_2016.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209095632/http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134833v2_dodm_2016.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 9, 2017|title=Directives Division|website=www.dtic.mil|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>

* Participate, or have participated, as members of U.S. military units, in a designated U.S. military operation deemed to be a significant activity.
* Encounter no foreign armed opposition or imminent hostile action.

The term "significant activity" is determined by theater commanders and is normally deemed to be participation in a U.S. military operation considered to hold a high degree of scope, impact, and international significance that the operation warrants the presentation of a permanent service medal.

Service members must have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit that deployed to participate in a designated U.S. operation within the area of eligibility for 30 consecutive days (or for the full period when an operation is less than 30 days) or for 60 non-consecutive days.<ref name="dtic.mil1"/>

Aircrew members must have participated as a regular assigned crew member on an aircraft flying into, out of, within, or over the area of eligibility in direct support of the designated military operation for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days. One day of service is credited for the first sortie flown on any day. Additional sorties flown on the same day receive no further credit.<ref name="dtic.mil1"/>

The AFSM may be authorized for U.S. military operations for which no other U.S. campaign or service medal is appropriate such as:
* Peacekeeping operations
* Prolonged humanitarian operations
* U.S. military operations in direct support of the [[United Nations]] (UN) or the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO), and for operations of assistance to friendly foreign nations. The award is only appropriate if the NATO, UN, or foreign operation involves a concurrent U.S. military support operation.<ref name="dtic.mil1"/>

The AFSM is not authorized for participation in national or international exercises. For operations in which personnel of only one military department participate, the AFSM will be awarded only if there is no other suitable award available to the department.<ref name="dtic.mil1"/>

; Additional awards and devices:
One award of the Armed Forces Service Medal is authorized for each designated military operation. Only one AFSM is awarded for multiple deployments for the same designated operation. Subsequent awards are denoted by wearing a bronze [[service star]] on the AFSM suspension and [[service ribbon]]. 
A silver service star is worn in lieu of five bronze service stars.