Antarctica Service Medal

Antarctica Service Medal
Obverse image of the medal Antarctica Service Medal
Awarded by United States Department of Defense
Type	Medal
Awarded for	Training or service between fifteen to thirty consecutive days stationed in Antarctica.
Status	Active
Description	Obverse: Bronze medal, 1 1⁄4 inches (32 mm) in diameter, with a view of a polar landscape and standing figure in Antarctica clothing facing to the front between the horizontally placed words, "ANTARCTICA" on the figure's left and "SERVICE" on the figure's right. Reverse: A polar projection with geodesic lines of the continent of Antarctica across which are the horizontally placed words "COURAGE", "SACRIFICE", and "DEVOTION", all within a circular decorative border of penguins and marine life. Ribbon: The ribbon is 1 3⁄8 inches (34.9 mm) wide and consists of a 3⁄16-inch (4.76 mm) black stripe on each edge and graded from a white stripe in the center to a pale blue, light blue, greenish blue, and medium blue.
Clasps	The metal color of the clasp is bronze for the first winter, gold for the second winter, and silver for the third winter.
Statistics
Established	Pub.L. 86−600, 74 Stat. 337, enacted July 7, 1960
First awarded	January 2, 1946 (retroactive)
Last awarded	Ongoing
Precedence
Next (higher)	Korean Service Medal
Next (lower)	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Related	Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal United States Antarctic Expedition Medal Navy Arctic Service Ribbon
ribbon

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. The following commemorative medals were declared obsolete, following the creation of the Antarctica Service Medal.

• 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 to 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.

The Arctic equivalents of the Antarctica Service Medal are the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon, the Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal and the Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with Arctic "A" Device.

Wintered Over device

For those personnel performing extended winter service in Antarctica, a "Wintered Over" device is authorized. The "Wintered Over" bar is only worn on the full-size medal's suspension ribbon. The smaller "disc" device is worn on the uniform ribbon to recognize this service.

The Wintered Over device is bestowed to indicate the number of winters served on the Antarctica continent. The device is worn as a disk on the award ribbon and is issued in bronze for one winter service, gold for two, and silver for three or more winters of service. On the full-sized medal a clasp is worn, issued in the same degree, inscribed with the words "Wintered Over".

External links

• "Army Regulation 600–8–22: Military Awards" (PDF). Headquarters, United States Department of the Army. September 15, 2011. http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r600_8_22.pdf. 
• "SecNav Instruction 1650.1H: Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual" (PDF). Office of the Secretary, United States Department of the Navy. August 22, 2006. http://www.marines.mil/Portals/59/Publications/SecNavInst%201650.1H.pdf.