Overseas service bars, does serving in Eastern Europe under OEF orders count?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 13:53:20 -0500

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 9 at 2015 2:06 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 14:06:26 -0500

SFC Private RallyPoint Member, 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.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 9 at 2015 2:36 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 14:36:17 -0500

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.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 9 at 2015 3:14 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 15:14:16 -0500

By current regulations, no. Keep in mind that it was at least 2004 before they updated the reg to award service bars for Afghanistan.

Plus Romania is beautiful. I go there for vacation. ;)

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 9 at 2015 3:21 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 15:21:29 -0500

They should rename it Combat Service Bar. I guess I'll just wear my 1 bar.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2016 7:17 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 19:17:33 -0500

When I was out processing from my last deployment, they said no, it had to be in a combat zone... The reg above is pretty specific about contingencies. The hazy part is how the time is counted. Some interpret it as 180 days, but other people say count the months the including the month of arrival and departure for instance, I arrived mid May and left Mid December. I was told I was to count May-Dec which would be 8 months. It didn't matter either way for me as I had 6mo, 29 days overseas. Now, I have to see about that with my upcoming deployment!

Response by SPC Javier Maldonado made Aug 7 at 2017 1:21 PM

SPC Javier Maldonado — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 13:21:51 -0400

I remember wearing these during my OCONUS service in West Germany from 1986 to 1989. I guess that they should rename it to the overseas combat service bar so I can rip it off my old uniform. Well I did get the Overseas Service Ribbon unless they change that too. Pardon my sarcasm, but, OCONUS service during the Cold War was not as important as combat service. Didn't we all supported the National Defense by deterrence?

Response by SP5 Ronald Matheson made Feb 27 at 2018 10:31 PM

SP5 Ronald Matheson — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 22:31:38 -0500

Since the Cold War was declared a War does it qualify for service stripes

Response by SGT Edwin Fonseca made Aug 23 at 2018 12:37 PM

SGT Edwin Fonseca — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 12:37:55 -0400

See ar 670-1 paragraph 11. Does not indicate anything about combat

Response by SGT Edwin Fonseca made Aug 23 at 2018 12:41 PM

SGT Edwin Fonseca — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 12:41:00 -0400

My mistake. I was wrong on my last post.