Posted on May 25, 2016
Am I authorized a overseas service bar for my deployment to Afghanistan from July 15, 2013 to December 18, 2013?
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For more elaboration, I deployed July 15th and left Afghanistan the 18th of December and returned to Germany on the 22nd of December. AR 670-1 in 2013 used to state that the months that you arrive and depart theater count as full months. Now the most current up to date AR 670-1 excluded that line. So would I be authorized to wear it since I earned it in 2013 under that AR 670-1 or will I have to follow the current one? Shouldn't I be grandfathered in since i met the requirements back then and they just recently changed?
Posted in these groups: 
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan
Soldier
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan Soldier
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 5
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LTC Paul Labrador is correct in stating one day in combat zone equals one month. Time in combat zone is cumulative, so if you have three two month tours that would give you six months in combat and one strip. I believe you were looking at DA PAM 670-1. In AR 670-1 date 10 April 2015 Para 21-29 a (12)-(16) address the time periods since 9/11 to present for overseas service bars. Para 21-29 a (12) address your dates specially "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."
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OSB's are awarded for 6 month's deployed duty in a designated area. Unless things have changed, a "month" was counted as a full month if you were in theater and drew combat pay any time during that month. It could have literally been one day and you would have been credited the whole month for purposes of the OSB. So if you are asking if the partial months will still qualify you, they should.
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SGT Dakota Sokolove
Under AR 670-1 dated April 10, 2015 it changed the guidelines/requirements for the OSB which is where me and my leadership is stuck. Technically in 2013 I earned it due to the regulation then but now it is different.
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LTC Paul Labrador
SGT Dakota Sokolove - If the Reg changed in 2015 and you were deployed in 2013, then you were under the old reg. BUt again, here's the interesting thing: there are no orders for OSBs. So who is going to dispute you having a bar if you can show on your ERB your deployment time.
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SGT Dakota Sokolove
MPD put down that I only have 5 months and 20 days. This is why I am trying to figure it out so I can get it changed and I can be authorized to wear it.
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Edited comment. I misread the topic and thought you were asking about the OSR and not the OSB.
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SGT Dakota Sokolove
what are all of the avenues i could take to get this question answered? I will definitely go see my s1 once i return from BLC. Would IG have an answer? If not then who else do you recommend?
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MSG (Join to see)
SGT Dakota Sokolove - IG would not be a place to go. IG is for investigating if policies and regulations are being violated. Honestly, S1 is your best place to start. If they don't know, then they should be able to point you in the direction you need to go. Good luck.
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