ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL, FSM , AFEM

ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL. With major worldwide conflicts like World War II and Korea giving way to the Cold War's smaller regional conflicts, the Department of Defense developed the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal to recognize such duty. The medal was authorized through Executive Order 10977 signed by President Kennedy on 4 Dec. 1961 and amplified later by Executive Order 11231 on 08 July 1965. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal can be earned through U.S. military operations, operations in direct support of the United Nations and U.S. operations of assistance to friendly foreign nations.