Why does my DD214 not reflect that I was deployed in support of Desert Storm in 1999?

2017-05-04T11:24:12-04:00

I was deployed to Saudi Arabia in late 1999. I would think my dd214 should reflect that or I would have a metal/ribbon for it. Or, perhaps it was just a glorified TDY?

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2017 11:25 AM

2017-05-04T11:25:09-04:00

Didn't ODS/DS end in 91?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2017 11:46 AM

2017-05-04T11:46:46-04:00

From AR 600-8-22

2–14. Southwest Asia Service Medal
a. The SWASM was established by EO 12754, 12 March 1991, as amended by EO 12790, 3 March 1992. It is
awarded to all Servicemembers of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in SWA and contiguous waters or
airspace there over, on or after 2 August 1990 to 30 November 1995. SWA and contiguous waters, as used herein, is
defined as an area which includes the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, that portion of the Arabian
Sea that lies north of 10 degrees north latitude and west of 68 degrees east longitude, as well as the total land areas of
Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates.
b. Servicemembers of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan
(including the airspace and territorial waters) between 17 January 1991 and 30 November 1995, will also be eligible
for this award. Servicemembers serving in these countries must have been under the command and control of the U.S.
Central Command or directly supporting military operations in the combat theater.
c. To be eligible, a Servicemember must meet one or more of the following criteria:
(1) Be attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in ground or shore
(military) operations.
(2) Be attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days aboard a U.S. naval vessel directly supporting military
operations.
(3) Be actually participating as a crewmember in one or more aerial flights directly supporting military operations in
the areas designated above.
(4) Be serving on TDY for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days. These time limitations may be waived
for people participating in actual combat operations.
d. The SWASM may be awarded posthumously to any person who lost his or her life while, or as a direct result of,
participating in Operation DESERT SHIELD or Operation DESERT STORM without regard to the length of such
service, if otherwise eligible.
e. One bronze service star will be worn on the suspension and service ribbon of the SWASM for participation in
each designated campaign (see para 6–8 for further information on the bronze service star). (The designated campaigns
for SWA are listed in app B.)
f. See AR 672–20 for the Civilian Service in SWASM.

Response by PO1 John Miller made May 4 at 2017 11:50 AM

2017-05-04T11:50:30-04:00

1999 wasn't Desert Storm. It was Operation Southern Watch.

Response by SGT Edward Wilcox made May 4 at 2017 12:04 PM

2017-05-04T12:04:26-04:00

In the upper right of the form it lists all your serve time and dates. There is a line for overseas duty. Your deployment would be reflected there. To determine what, if any, ribbons or medals you should have been authorized to wear, I would first ask why you were deployed there.

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made May 4 at 2017 1:59 PM

2017-05-04T13:59:54-04:00

friend, I DON'T KNOW WHAT AGENICY PRINTED YOUR DD FORM 214 but my reflects the ribbons and area of operation of all the tours and combat operation I was in, plus DESERT SHIELD and SHEILD STORM. You came submit a change and get a DD FORM 215 to reflect you were you were deployed all you need is proof of an award or orders you deployed into theater brother. GOOD LUCK on that. I would send that to AWARDS BRANCH OR USAHRSC or one them HR branches. OH, just caught you deployment date 1999 was OSW if you have orders it will go on your DD FORM 214 as KUWAIT or Saudi Arabia.

Response by SrA Jes Naber made May 4 at 2017 2:00 PM

2017-05-04T14:00:32-04:00

Thanks for all the answers. I knew DS was over well before I arrived. It was just strange that my orders said I was deployed in support of Desert Storm. One thing I forgot over the years being out of the military... Stop trying to make sense of why and how they do things.

Response by Sgt Shannon Barradas made May 4 at 2017 7:41 PM

2017-05-04T19:41:38-04:00

My DD214 only said in support of Desert Storm I had pictures and medical records that reflected my time over there and that helped get my GWI service connection

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made May 7 at 2017 7:50 PM

2017-05-07T19:50:00-04:00

My 214 only notes my seperation unit. Why would any tad be noted, Saudi isn't a combat deployment.

Response by SPC Matt Johnson made May 7 at 2017 9:56 PM

2017-05-07T21:56:01-04:00

look first of all you need to keep a copy of your own records for this reason. Took me 2 days to get the information right on my DD-214. as soon as I saw they didn't have my jump school on their I was like"hold the fuck on! WTF!" I read that thing line for line and they where missing awards, deployments, units I was in, training certificates, ext. apparently they didn't have I went to basic and was missing 5-6 years of my service. I was lucky I kept the staff duty call sheets for all my old units. I started making calls and didn't leave till all that stuff was fixed. Still couldn't find what happened to the info for 2 of my awards. I had the paperwork but my previous units lost their paper work and it couldn't be verified. but I said it was good enough

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 7 at 2017 10:46 PM

2017-05-07T22:46:48-04:00

DD214 does not say if you were deployed or not it just marks overseas time....this time could be for a deployment or assignment. Whenever I've had to prove I was at location for any reason I had to produce Annual Reports, Letter of appraisal, orders, or medals from that time frame to do so. Was always told never to toss any of those things for exactly this reason.

Response by SPC Robert Tuller made May 8 at 2017 11:47 AM

2017-05-08T11:47:35-04:00

As a veteran, I requested my whole military recorders be sent to me. I then check out DA Form 2-1 Section VII. This section has all of my assignments and MOSs. This is where you should look at also. It will be located in your 201 file. Good luck with you search.

Response by SPC Robb Sidebottom made Jun 5 at 2017 7:27 AM

2017-06-05T07:27:11-04:00

Does it list the southwest Asia service ribbon? That was the ribbon I received for being there.

Response by SSgt Janice Blessed made Feb 20 at 2018 12:52 AM

2018-02-20T00:52:12-05:00

need to know myself

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made Mar 8 at 2018 10:26 PM

2018-03-08T22:26:36-05:00

Maybe because Desert Storm ended in 1991? You should be eligible for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for supporting Operation Southern Watch.

Response by SPC Marcella Graham made Mar 11 at 2018 10:28 PM

2018-03-11T22:28:01-04:00

How do I get the Persian National Medal

Response by PO3 Scooter Joe made May 7 at 2018 6:39 PM

2018-05-07T18:39:46-04:00

I was told that the medals are no longer issued, so no dd214 listing

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2018 10:56 PM

2018-10-05T22:56:13-04:00

Nothing, unless you were there in 2003 for invasion. Maybe tax free status

Response by SP5 Bruce Smith made Oct 6 at 2018 4:00 AM

2018-10-06T04:00:48-04:00

How is Egypt in Asia? Egypt is in Africa.

Response by SFC Carlos Cruz made Oct 7 at 2018 5:34 PM

2018-10-07T17:34:09-04:00

Fort how long? The air force will n’t consider it because it my n’t be a deployment. This my just be TDY training.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 7 at 2018 6:36 PM

2018-10-07T18:36:50-04:00

Well Desert Storm was 9 years earlier, so why would you have a ribbon for it?
Was it a 2 week deployment? Was it an Air Force fly there and back deployment?
What are the specifics of this?
I was there while in the Marine Corps, before Desert Shield and left after Desert Storm. I was there more than 9 months.
I received CAR, SWAM, KLMS, KLMK, Over Seas Deployment Ribbon, and a few more.

Response by MSG William Hesser made Oct 7 at 2018 8:47 PM

2018-10-07T20:47:04-04:00

Often your home base is still listed as your HQ and your deployment is a quick in and out, so it wouldn't be on any document other than a 'mission'. Often it is classified as we often did in the SF and the documents remain classified until all is resolved
I ran into this when I was renewing my wife's ID card. The clerk didn't understand why so much of my file was 'redacted" I had to explain much of my activity was classified, even some of the training missions.

Response by CSM John Mead made Oct 8 at 2018 7:34 AM

2018-10-08T07:34:29-04:00

For one, Desert Shield's first deployments were in August of 1990, while the hundred hour war, Desert Storm, didn't kick off until February of 1991. Therefore, you've either got your dates wrong, or more to the truth, didn't really deploy.

Response by SSG Jason Collins made Oct 8 at 2018 8:59 AM

2018-10-08T08:59:03-04:00

You still want it documented because of the Gulf War issues. Just serving in Saudi Arabia qualifies you for those presumptives.

Response by SSG James Mills made Oct 9 at 2018 6:17 PM

2018-10-09T18:17:32-04:00

Wrong operation! It should say southern watch.

Response by SGT Steve Nevels made Oct 10 at 2018 8:08 AM

2018-10-10T08:08:41-04:00

They would not accept my ammendment to orders showing a 3 month extension in Iraq 2004. I had the original.orders for the deoyment and them ammended orders. They declined the ammended orders and told me they were not giving me the 3 extra months. I still have no idea why they didnt accept them. They were signed by the Group CDR.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 28 at 2018 12:27 PM

2018-11-28T12:27:19-05:00

I also served in Desert Storm and my DD214 does not says Desert Storm it says South West Asia , Saudi Arabia. But Iraq and Afghanistan is printed as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF & OEF).
I went to my local DMV wanting to get a Desert Storm License plate and was unable to because there is nothing on my DD214 that states Desert Storm. The combat medal you get doesnt say Desert Storm either, It's Liburation of Kuwaitt and South West Asia.
hmnn.....

Response by A1C Michael Haggerty made Dec 26 at 2019 12:06 PM

2019-12-26T12:06:46-05:00

I am in the same situation but it’s because Operation Desert Storm and Operation Southern Watch. Desert storm was earlier than OSW. You are considered a protected Gulf War veteran if that sounds better.

Response by Cpl George Goodwin made Nov 30 at 2021 7:41 PM

2021-11-30T19:41:44-05:00

I went to Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield for five days. Luckily I kept all of my old orders because my DD-214 did not show my time there.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Nov 30 at 2021 7:54 PM

2021-11-30T19:54:58-05:00

Unless a time machine, three goats, a stuffed buffalo and a pitching wedge were involved, you did not support Desert Storm in 1999. That conflict ended in 1992.

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Dec 1 at 2021 7:07 PM

2021-12-01T19:07:09-05:00

I’d guess a TDY.