National Defense Service Medal

The United States Armed Forces present the National Defense Service Medal Ribbon to the members of the United States Armed Forces who served during the emergency in the following period:

Korean War – June 27, 1950, and July 27, 1954
Vietnam War – January 1, 1961, and August 14, 1974
Persian Gulf War – August 2, 1990, and November 30, 1995

The Ribbon is red and is bisected at the center by a vertical yellow stripe flanked on each side by thin vertical stripes of red, white, blue, and white.

  • Type:

    Military Decoration

  • Awarded for:

    Accompanied with National Defense Service Medal

  • Eligibility:

    National Defense Service Medal Recipients

  • Established:

    1953 (along with National Defense Service Medal)