Though established in 1960, the Antarctica Service Medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces, civilian citizens, and national or resident aliens who serve or cooperate with U.S. expeditions south of latitude sixty degrees south any time after January 1, 1946. (The precise eligibility requirements are spelled out in both SECNAVINST 1650.1H,
Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, and Department of Defense publication number 1348.33, Volume 2).
Until June, 1973, there were no service period requirements for eligibility for the Antarctica Service Medal. Today, candidates must spend at least 30 days below the sixty-degrees south latitude, although the days do not have to be consecutive and days spent at outlying bases count double toward medal qualification.
In addition to the medal and ribbon, recipients can also qualify for a “Wintered Over” clasp (for the medal's suspension ribbon) or discs (to be pinned to the service ribbon) by staying in the Area of Eligibility during the winter months (mid-March to early October). The color of these devices reflects how many times the recipient has endured seven months of Antarctic winter; bronze indicates the first winter, gold the second, and silver the third (or more) winter. Only one clasp or disc shall be worn with the medal or ribbon respectively.
You can learn more about the
Antarctica Service Medal and order it on the
Medals page of our Web site.