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Campaign stars approved for deployments

Service members who have been on multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq are now eligible to wear campaign stars on their Afghanistan or Iraq campaign medals.

The Defense Department on Wednesday approved the wearing of campaign stars. Information on applying to wear the stars is pending.

One campaign star can be worn for participation in each of the campaign phases designated by DoD. For Afghanistan, the phases are:

* Sept. 11, 2001-Nov. 30, 2001

* Dec. 1, 2001-Sept. 30, 2006

* Oct. 1, 2006-To be determined

For Iraq, the phases are:

* March 19, 2003-May 1, 2003

* May 2, 2003-June 28, 2004

* June 29, 2004-Dec. 15, 2005

* Dec. 16, 2005-To be determined

The 3/16-inch diameter campaign stars can be worn on the campaign ribbon and the cloth suspension of the medal. The first four should be bronze; a Silver Star will be worn to signify five campaign stars.

To qualify for an Afghanistan or Iraq campaign medal, a service member must have been “assigned, attached or mobilized” to units working in the area of eligibility for 30 consecutive days 60 nonconsecutive days. Those rules have not changed.