Do new soldiers come with GWOT-SM now?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 09:39:03 -0500

I have a soldier, fresh out of AIT a few months ago hand me his ERB and he has 3 awards. Army Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism-Service Medal. That's not right, is it? He told me all of his AIT friends had the medal and wore it for graduation. That's weird to me because I only received that medal for deploying to Afghanistan...

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made Feb 7 at 2022 3:13 PM

Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:13:54 -0500

Can’t speak to whether they earned the medals coming out of training after the GWOT ended in Afghanistan in Aug. However, the GWOT-service medal is not earned for deploying to Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terror. That would be the GWOT-Expeditionary Medal. Folks supporting the GWOT state side are all still eligible for the GWOT-S.

Allow me to also add... The GWOT was not based only in Afghanistan and being retired, I can't speak to whether the DoD considers it ongoing in places like Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, etc...

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Feb 7 at 2022 11:06 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 23:06:40 -0500

The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOT-SM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created through Executive Order 13289 on 12 March 2003, by President George W. Bush. The medal recognizes those military service members who have supported operations to counter terrorism in the War on Terror from 11 September 2001, to a date yet to be determined.
Due to the broadly-defined awarding criterion of "support duty", the GWOT-SM is a quasi-automatically-awarded medal similar to the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM), with the primary difference being that the NDSM is awarded instantly upon entering military service, whereas the GWOT-SM is awarded after thirty days of post-training active service.
~wikipedia

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2022 12:11 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 00:11:33 -0500

GWOTSM Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1: Are Reserve or Active Component Soldiers on active duty, primarily for training, authorized to be awarded the GWOTSM?

A1: No. Soldiers serving on active duty primarily for training in Initial Entry Training (IET) or Basic Training (BT), Advanced Individual Training (AIT), and/or for Annual Training (AT), Officer training courses, Warrant Officer training courses, and/or any training not in direct support of the GWOT operations are not authorized award of the GWOTSM.

Q2: Are Soldiers who are called-up under State Active Duty (SAD) orders authorized to be awarded the GWOTSM?

A2: No. Only Reserve Component Soldiers called up under SAD orders in support of Airport Security operations from 27 September 2001 through 31 May 2002 are authorized award of the GWOTSM. Soldiers called up under SAD after or before this time period are not authorized the award.

Q3: Are Soldiers who have just graduated AIT automatically entitled to the GWOTSM?

A3: No. Soldiers serving on active duty primarily in a training status (BT, AIT, Officer training courses, etc.) are not authorized award of the GWOTSM for the active duty time they are in training. The criteria for the award specifically states that a Soldier has to serve on active duty in support of a designated GWOT operation (ONE, ONS, OEF, OIF, OFS, OIR or OND) for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days. Soldiers in a training status are not supporting these designated operations.

Q4: Can Reserve Component Soldiers who are mobilized onto active duty for OIF receive the GWOTSM for the active duty time training to deploy?

A4: Yes. Reserve Component Soldiers mobilized onto active duty in support of designated GWOT operations can be awarded the GWOTSM for their active duty time outside of the areas of eligibility. The Soldier has to meet the requirements for the award. A Soldier must be on active duty in support of designated GWOT operations serving in the areas of eligibility for at least 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days.

Q5: Do all active duty Soldiers qualify for the GWOTSM automatically?

A5: No. In March 2004, senior Army leadership made the determination that all active duty Soldiers serving on active duty since 11 September 2001 had served in some way in support of GWOT. Therefore, Soldiers serving on active duty at that time were all authorized the GWOTSM. After March 2004, the award approval authority, Battalion Commanders, must determine that a Soldier serving on active duty has qualified for the GWOTSM.

Q6: Is the GWOTSM authorized to be awarded to Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Soldiers under Title 10 and Title 32?

A6: Yes. Reserve Component Soldiers serving on “active duty” in an AGR status (Title 10 and/or Title 32), Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW) (Title 10 and/or Title 32), Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS), and Full-time National Guard Duty (FTNGD) (Title 32) under ADSW orders are authorized award of the GWOTSM. Refer to paragraph 2-19 of AR 600-8-22, Military Awards, for specific requirements.

Q7: When can a Reserve Component Soldier who has just graduated Advanced Individual Training (AIT) be authorized to be awarded the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOTSM)?

A7: A Reserve Component Soldier who has just graduated AIT may be awarded the GWOTSM when they are mobilized onto active duty in support of GWOT and they have met the criteria that are specified in para 2-19, AR 600-8-22, Military Awards.

Q8: When can an active duty Soldier who has just graduated AIT be authorized award of the GWOTSM?

A8: An active duty Soldier who has just graduated AIT may be awarded the GWOTSM after they have met the criterion that is specified in para 2-19 of AR 600-8-22, Military Awards. After being assigned to his/her permanent unit for 30 days, the commander may authorize the Soldier award of the GWOTSM. No orders are required for this action.

https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Global%20War%20on%20Terrorism%20Expeditionary%20Medal%20GWOTEM%20and%20Global%20War%20on%20Terrorism%20Service%20Medal%20GWOTSM

HRC Homepage

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2022 9:23 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 09:23:38 -0500

The GWOTSM has been awarded automatically during AIT/OSUT for years because it was assumed everyone receiving it would participate in the GWOT in some fashion during their career. This got halted around 2004-2005 for Active, Guard, and Reserve who would then only receive it from their units if qualified. HRC covers the exact year of when they halted it, but I mean come on, units in the Army actually following award regulations?

While it is debatable about whether or not Active should have kept handing the award out to new Soldiers, Guard and Reserves did a full stop unless the award could be justified toward the Soldier being on orders and contributing to an operation that supported the GWOT. What that contribution was in addition to the orders depended on the BC in your chain.

For example I knew a guy that got put on orders to help process SRP for a unit that was deploying under GWOT, he was on orders for 45 days I believe and he received the award because he contributed by supporting a unit that was supporting the GWOT.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2022 10:00 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:00:47 -0500

They stopped giving out that medal in 2018….