ALCOAST 073/26 - MAR 2026 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MEXICAN BORDER DEFENSE MEDAL (MBDM)

R 161354Z MAR 26   MID320018575434U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 073/26
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MEXICAN BORDER DEFENSE MEDAL (MBDM)
A. Secretary of Defense Memorandum, "Establishment of the Mexican
Border Defense Medal," August 13, 2025
B. Coast Guard Military Medals and Awards Manual, COMDTINST 1650.25E
C. DoDM 1348.33, Volume 2, "Manual of Military Decorations and
Awards: DoD Service Awards - Campaign, Expeditionary, and Service
Medals"
1. REF (A) established the Mexican Border Defense Medal (MBDM) to
recognize Service members deployed to the U.S. international border
with Mexico in support of United States Customs and Border
Protection (CBP).
2. The award criteria, period of award (POA) and area of eligibility
(AOE) for the MBDM mirrors that of the Armed Forces Service Medal
(AFSM) for Southwest Border support to CBP.
    a. ALCGPSC 105-19 authorized awarding the AFSM for Southwest
Border support to CBP for the period beginning 7 April 2018.
    b. This ALCOAST terminates POA for the AFSM for Southwest Border
support to CBP effective 19 January 2025.
    c. Effective 20 January 2025, the AFSM will no longer be awarded
for Southwest Border support to CBP, and is replaced with the MBDM.
    d. If members were awarded the AFSM on or after 20 January 2025
for Southwest Border operations prior to this ALCOAST, members
should exchange the AFSM with the MBDM. Units should remove the AFSM
entry from DA and add the MBDM, per paragraph 5 of this message.
3. MBDM ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
    a. Service members must have been permanently assigned, attached,
or detailed to a unit that deployed to participate in a designated
military operation supporting CBP within the AOE during the award
period for 30 consecutive or nonconsecutive days.
    b. Coast Guard members who have been involved in Coast Guard only
or joint border protection operations within the AOE, even if not in
support of CBP, will also be eligible for the MBDM, providing those
operations occurred after 20 January 2025.
    c. POA - 20 January 2025 to present (until terminated).
    d. AOE - The U.S. land area 100 nautical miles from the
U.S./Mexico international border within the states of Texas
(including the city of San Antonio), New Mexico, Arizona, and
California; and the adjacent U.S. waters out to 24 nautical miles.
4. Verification and Authorization:
    a. The first O-6 or above in the member's chain of command may
direct the issuance of the MBDM to service members under their
command.
    b. Commands must verify that members recommended for the MBDM
meet eligibility criteria listed above and shall maintain
appropriate documentation substantiating the issuance. A CG-1650
form is not required and commands may utilize existing internal
administrative review processes in vetting eligibility
determinations.
5. Direct Access Entries (entries in ALL FIELDS are required):
    a. Award Approval Date: Date member becomes eligible 30th
day, consecutive or nonconsecutive, in AOE
    b. Honor and Award: CGSB "Mexican Border Defense Medal"
    c. From Date: date member enters AOE and started actions
    d. To Date: date member departs AOE
    e. Grantor: Unit Authorizing Award (For example: Sector
New Orleans, SOUTHEAST DISTRICT, etc.)
6. NOTE: It is imperative that units follow the directions
provided in paragraph (5) of this message. PSC-PSD-ma will not
maintain a roster for the MBDM in Official Files since this
information is available from a Direct Access ADHOC report.
7. The MBDM does not have an accompanying certificate or citation.
Units should ensure that recipients are presented the award at an
appropriate occasion.
8. In accordance with REF (A), only one award of the MBDM (or AFSM)
is authorized. No subsequent awards or stars will be issued or worn
on this medal. Members who previously were awarded the AFSM under
the guidance of ALCGPSC 105-19 and prior to the MBDM implementation
date 20 January 2025, may not subsequently receive an MBDM for any
additional border support operations. In this situation, a member
may elect to exchange the AFSM for the MBDM. However, receiving the
AFSM for a previous operation not related to Southwest Border
support to CBP, does not preclude receiving the MBDM for a
subsequent operation meeting the criteria identified in paragraph 3
above.
9. The order of precedence for the MBDM will be before the AFSM and
after the Korea Defense Service Medal.
10. The awarding criteria will be included in REFs (B) and (C) in a
future revision or change. No enclosure will be added to REF (B) for
this award. This is an individual service award.
11. The MBDM is being developed by The Institute of Heraldry.
Once manufacturing has been completed, PSC-PSD-ma will provide the
necessary information required to obtain the medal and ribbon for
issuance.
12. The Special Operation Service Ribbon (SOS) may be authorized for
CG led border security operations. However, no member will receive
the MBDM and the SOS for the same operation and period of service;
only one award may be earned during a single qualifying period. It
is the unit's responsibility to ensure no dual recognition occurs
as outlined in REF (B), Chapter 1, paragraph B.10.
13. Questions regarding the MBDM should be directed to CG PSC-PSD-ma
at: arl.awdsman@uscg.mil.
14. Released by CAPT C.J. Hulser, Assistant Commandant for Workforce
Management (CG-WM).
15. Internet release is authorized.