ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY
The NATO Medal was established by the North Atlantic Council in 1994.
EFFECTIVE DATES
For service in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia: From July 1, 1992, to a date to be determined.
CRITERIA
- Thirty days (continuous or accumulated) in the territory and airspace of the former Republic of Yugoslavia and the Adriatic Sea, or ninety days (continuous or accumulated) in the area of operations outside the former Republic of Yugoslavia and the Adriatic Sea between July 1, 1992 and a date to be determined.
- Under NATO command in Headquarters, AFSOUTH, HQ NAVSOUTH, HQ AIRSOUTH, or HQ 5th ATAF, and in direct support of NATO operations in the former Republic of Yugoslavia
- Under NATO command in other installations, within the areas of operations and in direct support of NATO operations, as designated by SACEUR
- Under NATO operational command in the NATO airborne Early Warning Force, or in ships assigned to operations Maritime Monitor, Maritime Guard, or Sharp Guard
- Under NATO operational control in Operation Deny Flight, in ships and aircraft assigned to Operations Maritime Monitor, Maritime Guard, or Guard Sharp, or as NATO Liaison Officers.
The design of the medal was specified by the NATO.
ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
The NATO Medal has the same precedence as the UN Medal, but ranks immediately below it when the wearer is entitled to both medals.
Devices Section II4 of the General Regulations For the NATO Medal states that, "A clasp shall denote the specific theatre, or Area of Operations, or Operation, in respect of which the Medal is being Awarded." However, the rules of acceptance of the medal by American personnel provide that, "the wearing of ribbon clasps with the NATO medal or service ribbon is not authorized for U.S. Service members. U.S. Service members may wear only the basic medal or service ribbon." For United States military personnel, subsequent awards of the NATO Medal are denoted by bronze stars affixed to the ribbon of the medal and to the ribbon bar.
DESCRIPTION AND SYMBOLISM
Obverse In the center of a bronze medallion, the NATO emblem (a four-pointed star emitting a ray from each point superimposed on an annulet), enclosed in base by a wreath of olive. Reverse
In a circular band following the contour of the medal, the words NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION in the upper quadrant, and ORGANISATION DU TRAITE DE L'ATLANTIQUE NORD in the lower two-thirds. In the center of the medallion is a sprig of olive between the inscription IN SERVICE OF PEACE AND FREEDOM and SERVICE DE LA PAIX ET DE LA LIBERTE below.
Ribbon
The ribbon is one and three-eighths inches wide and consists of a field of Yale Blue with a white stripe one-eighth of an inch wide five thirty-seconds of an inch inside each edge of the ribbon.