Posted on Dec 9, 2015
Overseas service bars, does serving in Eastern Europe under OEF orders count?
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Army Reserve
Army Reserve
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I am not a regulations type of person, but I assume since you are not CONUS an you are in a contingency operation that you deserve those bars.
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SGM Mikel Dawson
The key words are who's operational command do you fall under. If you were under CENTCOM AOR, and serving under a Combatant Commander. This is the kicker.
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COL (Join to see)
SGM Mikel Dawson - The kicker has to do with OEF mission support and GWOTSM eligibility. The Overseas Service bars a geographically specific to a combative AOR. So, CENTCOM troops in Tampa are eligible for GWOTSM but not OSBs or Overseas Service ribbons while CENTCOM troops in Europe are eligible for GWOTSM and Overseas Service ribbons but not Overseas Service bars and CENTCOM troops assigned to the CENTCOM AOR are eligible for GWOTSM, Overseas Service Bars and in some cases, the Overseas Service Ribbon.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
Thank you for your input. So in my simple words, what activity are you supporting and where.
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SFC (Join to see), the answer appears to be no. See bow leg (12), below:
AR 670-1
21–29. Overseas service bars
a. Authorized wearers. Soldiers are authorized to wear overseas service bars as indicated below. Listed beginning dates and ending dates are inclusive.
(1) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service outside CONUS, between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1946, both dates inclusive. In computing overseas service, Alaska is considered outside CONUS. An overseas service bar is not authorized for a fraction of a 6–month period.
(2) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Korea, between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954. Credit toward an overseas service bar is authorized for each month of active Federal service as a member of the U.S. Army serving in the designated hostile fire area in Korea between 1 April 1968 and 31 August 1973. If a Soldier receives a month of hostile fire pay for a period(s) of service in Korea, then the Soldier may also receive credit for a corresponding month towards award of an overseas service bar.
(3) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Vietnam, between 1 July 1958 and 28 March 1973. The months of arrival to, and departure from Vietnam are counted as whole months for credit toward the overseas service bar. If a Soldier receives a month of hostile fire pay for a period(s) of TDY service in Vietnam, then the Soldier may also receive credit for a corresponding month towards award of an overseas service bar.
(4) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in the Dominican Republic, between 29 April 1965 and 21 September 1966.
(5) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Laos, between 1 January 1966 and 28 March 1973.
(6) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Cambodia between 1 January 1971 and 28 March 1973. Personnel must qualify for hostile fire pay to receive credit for an overseas service bar.
(7) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Lebanon, between 6 August 1983 and 24 April 1984, for the two units listed in paragraph 21–17b(6).
(8) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in the Persian Gulf between 27 July 1987 and 1 August 1990, for Operation Earnest Will.
(9) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in the Persian Gulf between17 January 1991 and 31 August 1993, for Operation Desert Storm.
(10) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service who participated in El Salvador, between 1 January 1981 and 1 February 1992.
(11) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6-month period of Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Somalia, between 5 December 1992 and 31 March 1995.
(12) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation Enduring Freedom, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 19 September 2001 and 31 December 2014; or Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines, between 19 September 2001 and a date to be determined.
(13) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 19 March 2003 and 31 August 2010.
(14) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation New Dawn in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 1 September 2010 and 31 December 2011.
(15) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in OIR, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 15 June 2014 and a date to be determined.
(16) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 1 January 2015 and a date to be determined.
AR 670-1
21–29. Overseas service bars
a. Authorized wearers. Soldiers are authorized to wear overseas service bars as indicated below. Listed beginning dates and ending dates are inclusive.
(1) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service outside CONUS, between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1946, both dates inclusive. In computing overseas service, Alaska is considered outside CONUS. An overseas service bar is not authorized for a fraction of a 6–month period.
(2) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Korea, between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954. Credit toward an overseas service bar is authorized for each month of active Federal service as a member of the U.S. Army serving in the designated hostile fire area in Korea between 1 April 1968 and 31 August 1973. If a Soldier receives a month of hostile fire pay for a period(s) of service in Korea, then the Soldier may also receive credit for a corresponding month towards award of an overseas service bar.
(3) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Vietnam, between 1 July 1958 and 28 March 1973. The months of arrival to, and departure from Vietnam are counted as whole months for credit toward the overseas service bar. If a Soldier receives a month of hostile fire pay for a period(s) of TDY service in Vietnam, then the Soldier may also receive credit for a corresponding month towards award of an overseas service bar.
(4) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in the Dominican Republic, between 29 April 1965 and 21 September 1966.
(5) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Laos, between 1 January 1966 and 28 March 1973.
(6) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Cambodia between 1 January 1971 and 28 March 1973. Personnel must qualify for hostile fire pay to receive credit for an overseas service bar.
(7) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Lebanon, between 6 August 1983 and 24 April 1984, for the two units listed in paragraph 21–17b(6).
(8) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in the Persian Gulf between 27 July 1987 and 1 August 1990, for Operation Earnest Will.
(9) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in the Persian Gulf between17 January 1991 and 31 August 1993, for Operation Desert Storm.
(10) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service who participated in El Salvador, between 1 January 1981 and 1 February 1992.
(11) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6-month period of Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service in Somalia, between 5 December 1992 and 31 March 1995.
(12) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation Enduring Freedom, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 19 September 2001 and 31 December 2014; or Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines, between 19 September 2001 and a date to be determined.
(13) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 19 March 2003 and 31 August 2010.
(14) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation New Dawn in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 1 September 2010 and 31 December 2011.
(15) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in OIR, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 15 June 2014 and a date to be determined.
(16) One overseas service bar is authorized for each 6–month period of active Federal service as a member of a U.S. Service participating in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, in the CENTCOM area of operations, and under the control of the Combatant Commander, CENTCOM, between 1 January 2015 and a date to be determined.
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SFC (Join to see)
Thank you for your quick response 1SG. My conundrum is that we fell under CENTCOM. I have read this regulation in 670-1 and can't get a legitimate , official answer.
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1SG (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see), since you are outside the CENTCOM AOR, I think that is your answer. I have the same issue with my Horn of Africa tour.
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COL (Join to see)
As a former CENTCOM soldier and Personnel Officer, I can confirm that the overseas service bar is awarded to countries considered in the AOR for the period identified. So, if you are supporting OEF in Europe, you are eligible for the GWOTSM but not the Overseas Service bar. If you are supporting OEF in the AOR, you get both the GWOTSM and a Overseas Service bar for every cumulative 6 month period. You also get an Overseas Service Ribbon for every year in Europe.
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They should rename it Combat Service Bar. I guess I'll just wear my 1 bar.
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