Armed Forces Reserve Medal

THE DIFFERENT MEDAL BACKS     Air Force      Natl Guard     Army Reserve     Coast Guard   Marine Corps   Navy   DEVICE(s)

Description:

• Authorized under Executive Order number 13013, amending Executive Order 10163
• May be awarded to members or former members of the Reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States who meet one or more of the following three criteria:
  • The member has completed a total of 10 years honorable and satisfactory military service in one or more Reserve components including annual active duty and inactive duty training provided:
  • such ten years of service was performed within a period of twelve consecutive years,
  • such service shall not include service in a Regular component of the Armed Forces, including the Coast Guard, but any period of time during which Reserve service is interrupted by service in a Regular component of the Armed Forces shall be excluded in computing, and shall not be considered a break in the said period of twelve consecutive years, and
  • such service shall not include service for which the Naval Reserve Medal or the Marine Corps Reserve Medal has been or maybe awarded.
• On or after August 1, 1990, the member was called to active duty and served under Sections 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12406, title 10, U. S. C., or Chapter 15, or, in the case of the United States Coast Guard Reserve, Section 712, title 14, U.S.C. 3. On or after August 1, 1990, the member volunteered and served on active duty in support of specific U.S. military operations or contingencies designated by the Secretary of Defense, as defined in Section 1.o., title 10, U.S.C.

Background:

1. Authorized Devices.
   • Hourglass Device. A bronze hourglass denotes 10-years of qualifying service. A silver hourglass and gold hourglass represent 20 and 30 years of service respectively. Simultaneously wearing a gold and a bronze hourglass denotes 40 years of service.
   • The “M” Mobilization Device. Bronze “M” device.
   • Arabic Numerals (Bronze or Gold). See the applicable Military Department regulation or instruction for specific guidance on wear of Arabic numerals.
2. Appropriate Wear.
   • If no “M” device is authorized, the hourglass will be centered on the ribbon.
   • If no hourglass is authorized, the “M” device and any associated Arabic numerals will be centered on the ribbon. Arabic numerals are worn to the wearer’s left of the “M” device to indicate subsequent awards (e.g., 2 to 99—no number is worn for the first award).
   • If both the hourglass and the “M” device are authorized, they will be centered on the ribbon with the hourglass in the first position on the ribbon (to the wearer’s right) followed by the “M” device and associated Arabic numerals.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness maintains a list of "Approved Military Decorations and Awards" which is a roster of the approved Joint DoD awards and/or operations for which the medal is authorized.
This is the Armed Forces Reserve Medal approved award/operations. as of the date shown in the document. You may want to verify if it has been updated at The Office of the Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness (linked above)