Posted on May 4, 2017
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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?
Posted in these groups: 
Operation Desert Shield/Storm
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Desert Shield/Storm Operation Southern Watch
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 30
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SSG Mark Tsunokai
Deployed to Kuwait in September 2001 to 2002, under Operation Southern Watch. SECFOR mission designated Operation Desert Spring for the USAF.
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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.
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.
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CPL Chris Palmberg
The dates for the SWASM include the period after the Iraqi withdrawal when the Northern & Southern NoFly zones were being established for due to genocidal attacks by the Ba'athist regime against Kurds and Shiites respectively.
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PV2 Chris Jackson
Yeah, I joined the Army in 1998, and all my paperwork from the VA says I'm a veteran of the gulf war area yet I was in junior high school during desert storm
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Maybe because Desert Storm ended in 1991? You should be eligible for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for supporting Operation Southern Watch.
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SN John Weigel
While on Westpac in 94 with the USS PELELIU LHA -5 Was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary medal as being in support of the stuff happening in Mogadishu in 94 sat of the coast of Somali for 3 months mar- June 94.
Requested the Humanitarian Service medal but the DOD, D of Navy denied it.
Classified as a DS veteran.
Requested the Humanitarian Service medal but the DOD, D of Navy denied it.
Classified as a DS veteran.
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MSG John Duchesneau
PO3 Patrick Bolger - The SWASM is only for service in the Middle East from 1990 to 1995.
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MSG John Duchesneau
SN John Weigel - Somalia was a combat rather than a humanitarian operation. That's why you didn't get the HSM.
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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.
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Nothing, unless you were there in 2003 for invasion. Maybe tax free status
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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
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CPL Cord Nipper
I had some great drills who told us from day 1 to make copies of everything with your name on it.
I did and it came in handy multiple times.
I did and it came in handy multiple times.
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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.
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Maj (Join to see)
When your orders said “in support of Desert Storm,” it was probably just a catch-all. BUT—you have orders which say “Desert Storm”! That should be all the evidence that you need. You won’t be able to get any medals or ribbons, except maybe some random U.N. medal which only the Air Force recognizes. But if all you’re trying to do is get it on your DD-214, that you’re a Desert Storm veteran, then those orders SHOULD be all you need. If your service has an admin section to call, try going through them, otherwise there’s always the Board for Correction of Air Force Records.
Now, the window for the Southwest Asia ribbon ended in 1995, so that maybe the end of what they considered eligible Desert Storm time—but it’s relevant that you weren’t mobilized under Provide Comfort, Southern Watch, or any others.
Also, depending on the precise series of your orders, your individual service may have been outside a window. For example, I was activated domestically for Enduring Freedom, but while other specific order series were specifically named as authorized for a deployment ribbon, mine was omitted.
So I’d say, hold those orders high, and see what they can do to change your DD-214. It could affect your VA status someday, and the worst outcome is that they simply say ‘no.’
Now, the window for the Southwest Asia ribbon ended in 1995, so that maybe the end of what they considered eligible Desert Storm time—but it’s relevant that you weren’t mobilized under Provide Comfort, Southern Watch, or any others.
Also, depending on the precise series of your orders, your individual service may have been outside a window. For example, I was activated domestically for Enduring Freedom, but while other specific order series were specifically named as authorized for a deployment ribbon, mine was omitted.
So I’d say, hold those orders high, and see what they can do to change your DD-214. It could affect your VA status someday, and the worst outcome is that they simply say ‘no.’
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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.
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.
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Does it list the southwest Asia service ribbon? That was the ribbon I received for being there.
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My 214 only notes my seperation unit. Why would any tad be noted, Saudi isn't a combat deployment.
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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
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SGT Bryan Doyle
I was there also during that time period. Whom do I contact to reflect an update and awards that were due too me? I would like to get it corrected. Thanks
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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.
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CPO (Join to see)
That overseas is only for over a year. They do not list TDY's less than a year in those blocks for Navy, Marines and Airforce. You can't always go by that for those branches. Just pointing out all Branches have different ways of filling out DD-214's
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CPO (Join to see)
SGT Edward Wilcox - You don't stand corrected, you didn't post anything wrong, just the way Branches do admin stuff different. Drives me crazy also, Because an Army guy looks up in that block and says you didn't deploy, and have no Sea time. Example I have sea service deployment ribbon with 12 deployments, but NO sea service. Some people would look at that and say WTF, just need to be careful using those blocks as need all be all. Army deploys for a year, as we don't and same with Ariforce.
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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.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SFC Michael Hasbun Gots Me a KLMSA, KLMK, First SWA and First SSD out of Desert Storm in 91. Got Me AFEM and a Star on Me SWA and SSD from Desert Strike in 96.
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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.
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Served SA 1991, LB Bravo. Out processed Ft. Drum. DD214 shows SW Asia award but NO overseas duty. Word was some Col. didn’t want such service used for (NG) promotions.
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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.
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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.....
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.....
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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.
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