Iraq Campaign Medal
The Iraq Campaign Medal (ICM) recognizes U.S. military personnel who served in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and subsequent operations within Iraq. Established in 2004, the medal honors those who served in designated combat zones after the initial invasion and before the official end of qualifying operations.
Unlike general service medals, the Iraq Campaign Medal specifically acknowledges service inside Iraq during approved campaign periods. Additional campaign participation is recognized with bronze or silver campaign stars worn on the suspension ribbon and service ribbon.
History of the Iraq Campaign Medal
Following the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003, service members originally received the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-EM). In November 2004, the Department of Defense created the Iraq Campaign Medal to better recognize service specifically performed within Iraq.
Personnel who qualified for both awards during the same period were required to choose one medal for the same qualifying service—they could not receive both for identical service.
Who Is Eligible?
Service members from all U.S. military branches may qualify if they served:
- Army
- Marine Corps
- Navy
- Air Force
- Coast Guard
- Space Force (when applicable)
Eligibility generally requires:
- Assignment within Iraq
- Direct support of approved military operations
- Service during designated eligibility dates
- Minimum service requirements unless engaged in combat, wounded, or evacuated.
Eligibility Dates
The Iraq Campaign Medal covers military service beginning:
March 19, 2003
through
December 31, 2011
Service after this period may qualify under different expeditionary awards depending on the operation.
Designated Area of Eligibility
Qualifying service includes duty within:
- Iraq
- Iraqi territorial waters
- Iraqi airspace
Only service performed inside the approved area qualifies.
Campaign Stars
Each approved campaign phase earns one bronze campaign star.
Five bronze stars are replaced by one silver campaign star.
Examples include campaigns such as:
- Liberation of Iraq
- Transition of Iraq
- Iraqi Governance
- National Resolution
- Iraqi Sovereignty
- New Dawn
Campaign participation is determined by official military records.
Medal Design
The medal is bronze in color.
The front features symbols representing freedom and the Iraqi theater of operations.
The reverse displays the American eagle above a shield surrounded by laurel branches, symbolizing military achievement and national service.
The ribbon contains:
- Red
- White
- Blue
- Gold
- Black
representing both the United States and the region where operations occurred.
Difference Between the Iraq Campaign Medal and GWOT Expeditionary Medal
Many veterans wonder which medal they should wear.
The biggest difference is location.
Iraq Campaign Medal
- Service performed specifically in Iraq
- Campaign stars authorized
- Covers Iraq operations
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Broader expeditionary operations
- Multiple countries
- No Iraq Campaign Medal issued for the same qualifying period
A service member cannot receive both awards for exactly the same deployment.
Order of Precedence
The Iraq Campaign Medal is worn according to the official U.S. military awards order of precedence and follows other campaign medals in accordance with service regulations.
Why the Medal Matters
The Iraq Campaign Medal represents one of America’s largest overseas military operations of the 21st century. Hundreds of thousands of service members served in Iraq under difficult and often dangerous conditions.
For many veterans, the medal symbolizes sacrifice, deployment, and participation in one of the defining conflicts of modern military history.