There are so many medals and ribbons that one can earn from the United States military that it can be hard to keep track of even the most familiar of these awards. One medal and ribbon in particular is so common it is sometimes referred to as the participation medal, but it is still a great honor for anyone who earns it. The National Defense Service Medal is given out to soldiers and cadets who have served during a time of national stress, so it is given out quite freely considering all of the dangerous times the nation has faced over the last several decades. I have put together a comprehensive guide to this medal and its meaning in the following article titled: How do you earn the national defense service medal and ribbon?
The National Defense Service Medal or NDSM is an award given to recognize every military member who has served in active duty during a declared national emergency. To qualify, soldiers must have served honorably during one of the major conflicts that the United States Military became engaged in all the way up until the wars being fought today. This includes the Global War on Terror, and the September 11th attacks in New York and at the Pentagon. The amount of time served is not a qualification for receiving the NDSM. Service stars worn on the original ribbon will show if the awarded soldier has time served in more than one qualifying conflict.
If you earn two awards of the National Defense Service Medal you will then be granted the Bronze Star. Earning three National Defense Service Medals will qualify you for two Bronze Stars, and for three NDSMs earned you will be given three Bronze Stars. The drapery of the medal is red, white, blue, and gold. The golden center stripe represents the high ideals of the United States, and the other three colors represent the US flag. White is for purity of purpose, red for hardiness and valor, and blue for perseverance and justice. The medals front has the words National Defense above an inverted winged bald eagle standing on a palm branch and a sword. The national emblem of the United States is the bald eagle, the palm is a victorious symbol, and the sword signifies the US Armed Forces. The reverse side of the media shows the shield of the United States behind a laurel and oak leaf display.
President George W. Bush issued an executive order to make the National Defense Service Medal for those who serve in the Reserve as well. And subsequently the Department of Defense authorized the Medal to be issued to the National Guard and for those serving as cadets or midshipmen after the September 11th attacks. Whether you have earned this prestigious medal in the active Armed Service, or you earned it as a Reserve troop, or even in the National Guard, the honor remains the same.
Being awarded a medal from the United States Armed Services is so great an honor that these medals become family heirlooms, getting passed down from one generation to the next. Having someone in your family be awarded the National Defense Service Medal, or any other medal, is a great honor. One last thing I want to mention, you can check online to see if anyone in your family’s past has been granted this medal, and if they have, finding a replacement medal should be no problem with a quick internet search. If this is the case, I hope your family displays the medal proudly, knowing someone in your family has served our great nation.
