The United States Department of Defense presents the Humanitarian Service Medal as an individual service medal to that military personnel who performed exceptional service during the evacuation of non-combatants from a hostile zone, natural disaster relief, and human support to refugees. The Humanitarian Service Medal has been active since April 2, 1975. The medal features a right-hand palm pointing diagonally upwards, and the medal’s reverse features an oak leaf branch with engraved inscriptions reading For Humanitarian Service and United States Armed Forces.