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Antarctica Service Medal
The Antarctica Service Medal (ASM) was established by the United States Congress on July 7, 1960 under Public Law 600 of the 86th Congress. The medal was intended as a military award to replace several commemorative awards which had been issued for previous Antarctica expeditions from 1928 to 1941. With the creation of the Antarctica Service Medal, the following commemorative medals were declared obsolete;
Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal
Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal
United States Antarctic Expedition Medal
The Antarctica Service Medal is considered an award of the United States Armed Forces, issued in the name of the U.S. Department of Defense, and is authorized for wear on active duty uniforms. The medal may also be awarded to U.S. civilians, but after the initial award, the civilian may only wear the miniature or the lapel pin depending on the occasion.
To qualify for the Antarctica Service Medal, personnel must train or serve between fifteen and thirty days stationed on the Antarctic continent, defined as south of 60 degrees latitude. Flight crews performing transport missions to Antarctica qualify for one day of service for each flight mission performed within a 24-hour time period. Civilians who work in a research facility or on a research vessel are also eligible to receive the Antarctica Service Medal through the National Science Foundation, provided that they also remain south of 60 degrees latitude for a cumulative period of 10 days, or 30 days if prior to October 10, 2008.