An Expeditionary Medal is a military decoration which is awarded by the United States of America to its military personnel for deployment

Military deployment

Military deployment is the movement of armed forces and their logistical support infrastructure around the world.-United States:The United States Military defines the term as follows:...

 to a foreign region to participate in a campaign or conflict. Expeditionary medals are unique to the United States Armed Forces, but similar medals are commonly known as campaign medal

Campaign medal

A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...

s or service medal

Service medal

A service medal is a military award generally of the lowest degree. A service medal is awarded to a member of the military who joins the military, or is already serving, during a designated time period...

s in foreign militaries. The United States also awards campaign and service medals for service in specific countries or regions while expeditionary medals are frequently awarded for service in regions and nations for which there is no specific service medal, or the specific service medal for that country or region is not approved or currently awarded. They are considered superior to service medals and normally ranked below medals for valor

Valor

Valor or valour may mean:* Valor , by J. W. Cockerill* Courage, a similar meaning* Valor , roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause"* Valor , a DC Comics superhero...

.

In the United States armed forces

United States armed forces

The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...

, the following expeditionary medals are maintained:

• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
  
  
• Navy Expeditionary Medal
  Navy Expeditionary Medal
  The Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy...
  
  
• Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
  Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
  The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is a decoration of the United States Marine Corps which was first created on 8 May 1919. Originally known as the Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon, a full-sized medal was authorized in July 1921 by Presidential Order of Warren G. Harding...
  
  
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
  Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
  The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
  
  
• Merchant Marine Expiditionary Medal

See also

• Awards and decorations of the United States government
  Awards and decorations of the United States government
  Awards and decorations of the United States government are civilian awards of the U.S. federal government which are typically issued for sustained meritorious service, in a civilian capacity, while serving in the U.S. federal government. Certain U.S...
  
  
• US Military awards and decorations
  Awards and decorations of the United States military
  Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...
  
  
• Awards and decorations of the United States Army
  Awards and decorations of the United States Army
  Awards and decorations of the United States Army are those military decorations which are issued to members of the United States Army under the authority of the Secretary of the Army. Together with military badges such awards provide an outward display of a service member's accomplishments.The...
  
  
• Awards and decorations of the United States Navy and Marine Corps
  Military awards of the United States Department of the Navy
  Military awards of the United States Department of the Navy are those military decorations which are presented to members of the United States Navy and U.S. Marine Corps under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy....
  
  
• Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force
  Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force
  Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force are military decorations which are issued by the Department of the Air Force to Air Force service members and members of other military branches serving under Air Force commands...
  
  
• Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard
  Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard
  Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard are military medals and ribbons of the United States Coast Guard which are currently issued under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security....
  
  
• Inter-service decorations of the United States military
  Inter-service decorations of the United States military
  Inter-service decorations of the United States military are military awards that are issued by the United States armed forces to members of all five branches of military service. Such medals are thus considered "inter-service" and are awarded under the same criteria to all military branches.The...