The Afghanistan Campaign Medal recognizes U.S. military service in Afghanistan during the War on Terror. The medal covers a campaign that lasted from September 11, 2001, through August 31, 2021.
If you are building or updating a military ribbon rack, one detail matters more than most: the stars on the Afghanistan Campaign Medal represent campaign phases, not additional awards of the medal.
A service member can receive one bronze campaign star for each designated Afghanistan campaign phase in which they participated. A silver campaign star replaces five bronze stars. With six designated phases, the maximum combination is one silver star and one bronze star.
Quick Answer: The Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM) is a U.S. campaign medal established by President George W. Bush through Executive Order 13363 on November 29, 2004, following Public Law 108-234. The current Department of Defense manual lists the period of award as September 11, 2001, through August 31, 2021. The area of eligibility covers Afghanistan’s land area and the airspace above it. In general, qualifying service required 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days in the area of eligibility. Exceptions applied for members who participated in combat, were killed, or were wounded or injured and medically evacuated. Aircrew members also received eligibility credit based on qualifying sorties.
For Operation Allies Refuge, the 30-day and 60-day requirements were waived as a one-time exception for qualifying service from July 1 through August 30, 2021.
What Is the Afghanistan Campaign Medal?
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal recognizes qualifying U.S. military service in Afghanistan during designated operations associated with the Afghanistan campaign.
The medal was established in 2004. It became available for general distribution in June 2005 and was awarded retroactively for qualifying service.
The current DoD policy places the period of award from September 11, 2001, to August 31, 2021. That means the Afghanistan Campaign Medal is now a closed award. Service in Afghanistan after August 31, 2021, is subject to different award criteria, including the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for Operation Enduring Sentinel, when applicable.
The medal’s area of eligibility covers:
- The land area of Afghanistan
- The airspace above Afghanistan
The medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry.
Its obverse shows a map of Afghanistan above a mountain range, surrounded by the words AFGHANISTAN CAMPAIGN. The reverse features an eagle’s head over a radiating demi-sun, with the words FOR SERVICE IN AFGHANISTAN surrounded by a laurel wreath.
Who Is Eligible for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal?
Eligibility depends on the member’s service, location, dates, and circumstances.
The current DoD criteria generally require a service member to have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit operating in Afghanistan for:
- 30 consecutive days, or
- 60 non-consecutive days
Certain circumstances remove the normal time requirement.
A member may qualify regardless of time spent in the area of eligibility if the member:
- Participated in combat during an armed engagement
- Was killed while participating in an operation or performing official duties
- Was wounded or injured and medically evacuated from the area of eligibility
Regularly assigned aircrew members receive one day of eligibility for each day they fly qualifying sorties into, out of, within, or over the area of eligibility.
Operation Allies Refuge Exception
There is an important exception for Operation Allies Refuge.
For qualifying service from July 1 through August 30, 2021, the normal 30-consecutive-day or 60-non-consecutive-day requirement was waived.
This was a one-time exception. Members who qualified for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal through this provision could not also receive another campaign, expeditionary, or service medal for the same Operation Allies Refuge service.
When Did the Afghanistan Campaign Medal End?
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal ended on August 31, 2021.
The Department of Defense terminated the award effective that date. The change coincided with the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and the end of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
Beginning September 1, 2021, qualifying service connected to Operation Enduring Sentinel can instead be recognized with the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal when the member meets its requirements.
This distinction is important when checking a record because service in Afghanistan after August 31, 2021, does not automatically qualify for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Afghanistan Campaign Medal Campaign Phases
The Department of Defense established six designated campaign phases for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
A bronze campaign star represents participation in each designated campaign phase. Current Air Force guidance states that participation for one or more days in a designated phase authorizes the campaign star, assuming the member otherwise qualifies for the medal.
| Campaign Phase | Inclusive Dates |
| Liberation of Afghanistan | September 11, 2001 – November 30, 2001 |
| Consolidation I | December 1, 2001 – September 30, 2006 |
| Consolidation II | October 1, 2006 – November 30, 2009 |
| Consolidation III | December 1, 2009 – June 30, 2011 |
| Transition I | July 1, 2011 – December 31, 2014 |
| Transition II | January 1, 2015 – August 31, 2021 |
These dates are reflected in current Air Force awards guidance and the Department of Defense’s campaign-medal framework.
Why the Campaign Phases Matter?
The six phases are not the same length.
For example, Consolidation I lasted almost five years, while Liberation of Afghanistan lasted less than three months.
That means the number of campaign stars does not tell you how long someone served in Afghanistan.
It tells you how many designated campaign phases they participated in.
What Does a Campaign Star Mean?
This is one of the most common points of confusion about the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
A campaign star does not represent a second award of the medal.
Instead, it identifies participation in a designated campaign phase.
For example:
| Ribbon Device | Meaning |
| 1 bronze campaign star | Participation in 1 designated campaign phase |
| 2 bronze campaign stars | Participation in 2 designated campaign phases |
| 3 bronze campaign stars | Participation in 3 designated campaign phases |
| 4 bronze campaign stars | Participation in 4 designated campaign phases |
| 5 bronze campaign stars | Participation in 5 designated campaign phases |
| 1 silver campaign star | Represents 5 bronze campaign stars |
| 1 silver + 1 bronze | Participation in all 6 designated phases |
A silver campaign star replaces five bronze campaign stars.
What Does an Afghanistan Campaign Medal With 2 Stars Mean?
It means the service member participated in two designated Afghanistan campaign phases.
This does not indicate that they received the Afghanistan Campaign Medal twice.
Nor does it necessarily imply that they completed two separate deployments.
A single deployment can cross from one campaign phase into another. For example, a deployment that crosses the December 31, 2014 / January 1, 2015 boundary can involve both Transition I and Transition II.
That can result in two campaign stars even if the member served during one continuous deployment.
How Many Stars Can You Have on the Afghanistan Campaign Medal?
There are six designated campaign phases.
A bronze campaign star represents each phase in which the member participated.
Because five bronze stars are replaced by one silver star, a member who participated in all six phases would wear:
One silver campaign star + one bronze campaign star.
That represents six campaign phases in total.
The campaign star is authorized for wear on both the medal’s suspension ribbon and the service ribbon.
What Is the Arrowhead Device?
The Arrowhead Device is a small bronze arrowhead used on certain U.S. military campaign and service medals.
For qualifying Afghanistan service, the device recognizes participation in an assault operation such as:
- A combat parachute jump
- A helicopter assault landing
- A combat glider landing
- An amphibious assault landing
The member must have participated as part of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission.
The Department of the Air Force lists both the campaign star and Arrowhead Device as authorized devices for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Only one Arrowhead Device is worn on a ribbon, regardless of the number of qualifying assault operations.
The Arrowhead is worn alongside campaign stars. It does not replace them.
What Does the Afghanistan Campaign Medal Ribbon Look Like?
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide.
Its official stripe pattern includes:
- Emerald
- Scarlet
- Black
- White
- Scarlet
- White
- Old Glory Blue
- White
- Scarlet
- White
- Black
- Scarlet
- Emerald
The Army Institute of Heraldry explains that the ribbon reflects the colors of Afghanistan, while the red, white, and blue represent the United States and its allies.
The ribbon is distinctive because of the combination of Afghan colors around the edges and the narrow red, white, and blue center.
If you are ordering a replacement ribbon or building a ribbon rack, make sure you select the Afghanistan Campaign Medal rather than a similarly named Afghanistan-related award.
Afghanistan Campaign Medal Order of Precedence
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal sits between the Kosovo Campaign Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal in the applicable U.S. military order of precedence.
The sequence is:
Kosovo Campaign Medal → Afghanistan Campaign Medal → Iraq Campaign Medal
The U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry lists this sequence directly for Army personnel, and the DoD framework places the Afghanistan Campaign Medal in the campaign-medal category.
The exact complete ribbon order can vary by branch because each service maintains its own wear regulations.
For branch-specific guidance, see:
- Army Ribbon Order of Precedence
- Navy Ribbon Order of Precedence
- Air Force Ribbon Order of Precedence
- Marine Corps Ribbon Order of Precedence
- Coast Guard Ribbon Order of Precedence
- Space Force Ribbon Order of Precedence
Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the GWOT Expeditionary Medal
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal replaced the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for qualifying Afghanistan service after the transition took effect in 2005.
Service members who qualified for the GWOT Expeditionary Medal for Afghanistan service before the transition can remain eligible for that award. In qualifying cases, they may elect to receive the Afghanistan Campaign Medal instead.
A member cannot receive both awards for the same act, time, or period of service.
This is an important distinction when reviewing older military records.
If your DD Form 214 shows the GWOT Expeditionary Medal for early Afghanistan service, do not automatically assume the record is incorrect. The member may have qualified for the GWOTEM under the rules that applied at the time.
What Other Awards May Accompany Afghanistan Service?
An Afghanistan deployment can result in several different awards, depending on the member’s branch, dates, operation, duties, and individual circumstances.
Possible awards include:
| Award | General purpose |
| Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Qualifying service in Afghanistan during the campaign period |
| Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Qualifying service supporting the broader Global War on Terrorism |
| NATO Medal | Qualifying participation in a NATO operation |
| Overseas Service Ribbon | Army award for qualifying overseas service |
| Sea Service Deployment Ribbon | Navy and Marine Corps qualifying deployment service |
| Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon | Qualifying Air Force and Space Force expeditionary service |
These awards do not automatically come with every Afghanistan deployment.
Eligibility depends on the specific service record.
For example, NATO medals have their own eligibility requirements. Army guidance states that qualifying service members supporting NATO operations in Afghanistan could receive the NATO Medal when they met the applicable requirements.
Combat badges and other individual qualifications are separate from campaign medals and should not be treated as interchangeable with the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Campaign Medal vs. Service Medal
A campaign medal and a service medal recognize different types of military service.
| Difference | Campaign Medal | Service Medal |
| Purpose | Recognizes participation in a designated campaign | Recognizes qualifying service during a specified period or broader operation |
| Geographic connection | Usually tied to a defined campaign area | May cover a broader area |
| Campaign stars | May use campaign stars to identify phases | Depends on the specific award |
| Example | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is specifically classified as a campaign medal under current DoD policy.
That distinction helps explain why a service member can have more than one award connected to the same broader conflict while each award recognizes a different type of service.
How to Find Out How Many Afghanistan Campaign Stars You Rate
If you are unsure how many stars belong on your Afghanistan Campaign Medal, start with your official service record.
1. Check your DD Form 214
For separated service members, review the decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign ribbons recorded on the DD Form 214.
2. Check your deployment dates
Write down the dates you actually served in Afghanistan or otherwise met the applicable area-of-eligibility requirements.
3. Compare the dates with the six campaign phases
Use this table:
| Campaign | Dates |
| Liberation of Afghanistan | Sep. 11, 2001 – Nov. 30, 2001 |
| Consolidation I | Dec. 1, 2001 – Sep. 30, 2006 |
| Consolidation II | Oct. 1, 2006 – Nov. 30, 2009 |
| Consolidation III | Dec. 1, 2009 – Jun. 30, 2011 |
| Transition I | Jul. 1, 2011 – Dec. 31, 2014 |
| Transition II | Jan. 1, 2015 – Aug. 31, 2021 |
4. Look for phase boundaries
Pay particular attention to deployments that crossed from one campaign phase into another.
A deployment that crossed from December 2014 into January 2015, for example, could involve both Transition I and Transition II.
5. Compare the result with your official record
If your records and deployment history do not match, contact your personnel office, records office, or appropriate service awards authority.
Do not rely solely on a commercial ribbon rack builder to determine entitlement.
Your official military record should remain the source of truth.
Build Your Ribbon Rack
Once you have confirmed your awards and devices, assembling the rack becomes much easier.
Super Thin Ribbons’ ribbon rack builder can help you organize your awards according to the applicable order of precedence.
You can also browse ribbons by branch:
- Army Ribbons
- Navy Ribbons
- Air Force Ribbons
- Marine Corps Ribbons
- Coast Guard Ribbons
- Space Force Ribbons
You can also browse the full selection of military medals.
Built in the USA
Super Thin Ribbons produces military ribbons and ribbon racks in the United States.
If you are unsure which campaign stars, devices, or ribbons belong on your rack, verify your award history before placing an order.
For questions about your specific rack, contact the Super Thin Ribbons team before ordering so the correct awards and devices can be selected.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal was awarded for qualifying service in Afghanistan during the period from September 11, 2001, through August 31, 2021. Standard eligibility generally required 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days in the area of eligibility, with exceptions for combat, qualifying wounds or injuries, death, and qualifying aircrew service. Operation Allies Refuge also received a one-time waiver of the normal time requirement.
It recognizes qualifying U.S. military service in Afghanistan during designated operations of the Afghanistan campaign. The medal was established by Executive Order 13363 on November 29, 2004.
It means the service member participated in two designated Afghanistan campaign phases. The stars do not represent two separate awards of the medal.
The period of award ended on August 31, 2021. Qualifying Afghanistan service after that date is not covered by the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
The Arrowhead Device indicates qualifying participation in an assault operation such as a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing.
Yes. A silver campaign star replaces five bronze stars. Because the Afghanistan Campaign Medal has six designated campaign phases, participation in all six phases is represented by one silver star and one bronze star.
Not necessarily. Two stars mean participation in two designated campaign phases. A single deployment can cross a campaign-phase boundary and result in two campaign stars.
No. The award closed effective August 31, 2021. Qualifying service connected to Operation Enduring Sentinel after that date may instead fall under the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
The Afghanistan Campaign Medal follows the Kosovo Campaign Medal and precedes the Iraq Campaign Medal in the applicable order of precedence.
Thank you for your service. Twenty years is a long time for a country to ask something of its people, and a great many families gave more than anyone outside them will ever fully know. Whatever this ribbon represents in your own record, we are honored to help you wear it correctly.