** Wednesday, 27 oct. 2004 **

The KDSM IS shipping!!

The secretary of defense approved the implementing instructions and criteria for the KDSM on 3 Feb 2004. The Korea Defense Service Medal (KDSM) is authorized to members of the armed forces who have served on active duty in support of the defense of the republic of Korea from 28 July 1954 to a date to be determined, Note: Your service in Korea had to start on or after 28 July, 1954, not before that date as that is KSM time!  The area of eligibility encompasses all land area of the republic of Korea, and the contiguous water out to 12 nautical miles, and all air spaces above the land and water areas. Effective 3 Feb 2004, the Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR) is no longer authorized for overseas tours in the republic of Korea. Service members must have been assigned, attached, or mobilized to units operating in the area of eligibility for 30 consecutive or for 60 nonconsecutive days, or have been in combat, wounded in the line of duty, a member of an aircrew flying within the area of eligibility. Only one award of the KDSM is authorized for any individual. In order of precedence the KDSM will be worn below the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal (GWOTSM) and above the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM).

  For Standard Form 180 to request your KDSM! (PDF)

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Modified SF-180; It has request for KDSM, other awards not previously issued/awarded and for an update to your DD-214 (DD-215) filled in for you. (PDF)

Suggestion: Right click on the SF 180 link of your choice
and then click on "Save As" or "Save Target As"
(saves the file to your hard drive).
Check the form date if you get your PDF from another web site, the form may not be the current version!!  You MUST submit on the current form if you do not want your submission to be rejected!

All of these forms are current as of 11-28-2008.

KDSM With DMZ Device.

In case you like so many others are tired of waiting for UNCLE to issue you your KDSM or other medals, may I suggest the following places to look to purchase your own KDSM and other medals;

On eBay, search for "KDSM" or spell it out, one seller that I have done business with - and I am very satisfied with is: Stuart Walsky

Others that sell the KDSM are Medals of America,
Foxfall Medals, Graco Ind., Uniform Accessories and more...  Check several places as prices and shipping do vary, sometimes quite a bit!

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Problem!

Did you know that several years ago that the Republic Of Korea (ROK), tried to give us a medal for our service in South Korea (the Republic Of Korea Service Medal (ROKSM)??  Yep, they did alright, but our government turned it down, you see there is a rule (article), on the books that states that any foreign medal offered to U.S. troops must also be available to the host nations troops - there is the snag!  This medal was created for us and is/was not offered to the South Korean troops.  The decision to accept the medal is not going to be changed, come hell or high water. Sorry 'bout that!

Solution!

The KDVA in conjunction with Foxfall Medals has commissioned the creation of the ROKSM as a commemorative medal and is now available for those that would like to purchase their own.

Here in part, is what Norm Tredway (National Commander) of the KDVA has to say about the ROKSM; 

"I hope all of you think of this as an award . . . it was meant to be.  I am no longer an active soldier and I intend to wear this with my other awards.  I wish it could be accepted and worn by our active brothers and sisters, they deserve it.  We WILL keep trying."

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There is another commemorative medal that Foxfall Medals has available, it is the Honorable Service Medal that is for those that did just that, served Honorably!