ALCGPSC 105/19 - AWARD OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL FOR SUPPORT TO CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

11 SEP 19

ALCGPSC 105/19
SUBJ:  AWARD OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL FOR SUPPORT TO CUSTOMS
AND BORDER PROTECTION
A. Department of Defense P&R memorandum of 1 Jul 2019
B. Coast Guard Military Medals and Awards Manual, COMDTINST M1650.25
(series)
C. DoD Manual 1348.33, Volume 2, Manual of Military Decorations and
Awards, Section 4.4
1. Reference (A) authorizes the award of the Armed Forces Service
Medal (AFSM) for Department of Defense Support to Customs and Border
Protection (CBP), and conveys authority for issuance to eligible Coast Guard personnel.
2. Eligibility Criteria:
   A. Period of Award (POA): 07 April 2018, to a date to be determined.
   B. Area of Eligibility (AOE): The U.S. land area 100 nautical miles from the international border within Texas (and the city of San
Antonio), New Mexico, Arizona, and California; and the adjacent U.S.
waters out to 24 nautical miles.
   C. Eligible Personnel: All service members deployed in direct
support of CBP operations in the designated AOE during the POA and
meeting the following criteria:
      (1) Service members must have been permanently assigned,
attached, or detailed to a unit or team specifically deployed to
participate in the designated CBP operation within the AOE for 30
consecutive days OR for 60 non-consecutive days.
      (2) Aircrew members must have participated as a regularly
assigned crewmember on an aircraft flying into, out of, within, or
over the AOE in direct support of the designated CBP operation for 30
consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days. One day of service is
credited for the first sortie flown on any day. Additional sorties
flown on the same day receive no further credit.
   Note: Outstanding or meritorious performance of non-deployed or
remotely located support units and individuals does not justify award
of the AFSM, nor does mere presence of a unit, aircraft, vessel, or
individual in the AOE but not in direct support of the designated
operation.
3. Since the AFSM is a DOD-regulated award, the Coast Guard does not
have the authority to approve waiver requests for defined eligibility
requirements from reference (C), which supersedes the guidance in
reference (B). 
4. Given the unique nature of this designated operation, the Personnel Service Center Medals and Awards staff will directly coordinate approval of individual awards of the AFSM. Individual or units meeting all eligibility factors in paragraph 2 must submit requests through their unit personnel and administration (P&A) office to PSC-PSD-M&A for approval (consolidated requests are desired). Requests must include the following data elements:
   A. AFSM Support to Customs and Border Protection
   B. EMPLID
   C. Last Name
   D. First Name
   E. Rank
   F. Permanent Unit
   G. Deployment period (Inclusive Dates). Multiple periods should be
specified in cases where members qualify based upon non-consecutive
(or aviation sortie) service.
   H. Authenticated deployment orders or authenticated flight logs for personnel who qualify based upon aviation sorties. All orders and logs must specifically direct participation in the qualifying operation.
5. Procedures for review, approval and recordkeeping:
   A. Unit P&A staff shall submit requests (consolidated requests with required data attached are authorized/desired) via e-mail to PSC-PSD-M&A at ARL.Medals@uscg.mil.
   B. Upon verification of documentation and eligibility, PSC-PSD-M&A
will provide e-mail authorization to the unit admin, who will then
make appropriate Direct Access entries. Units must not make entries
without this authorization. 
   C. A consolidated roster will be available on the PSC portal
(https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/psc/Medals and Awards/default.aspx)
beginning 01 September 2019, to be updated monthly, listing personnel
who have been authorized this award under this operation. 
7. The AFSM does not have an accompanying certificate, citation or
other documentation other than electronic database entries. Upon
receipt of PSC-PSD-M&A authorization, units should ensure that
recipients are presented the award at an appropriate occasion. 
8. Only one award of the AFSM is authorized for multiple qualifying
deployments under this operation. Members previously awarded the AFSM
denote this award with a bronze star 3/16-inch in diameter worn two
points down on the suspension ribbon of the medal and on the ribbon
bar. A 3/16-inch silver star is worn in lieu of five bronze stars.
9. All questions should be directed to CG PSC-PSD-ma at:
ARL.Medals@uscg.mil.
10. CAPT G. T.  Prestidge, Commander, CG Personnel Service Center,
sends.  The Service Center for Our Most Important Resource - Our
People.
11. Internet release authorized.