Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOT-SM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created through Executive Order 13289 on 12 March 2003, by President George W. Bush. The medal recognizes those military service members who have supported operations to counter terrorism in the war on terror from 11 September 2001, to a date yet to be determined.

From its creation in March 2003 through September 2022, the GWOT-SM was a quasi-automatically awarded medal similar to the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM). The GWOT-SM was awarded for the broadly defined criterion of "support duty" to most servicemembers after thirty days of post-entry training active service up until around January to February 2015. After that point, it was no longer awarded for just completing basic training and required specific participation in designated operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism. However, since 11 September 2022, the GWOT-SM is now awarded to servicemembers only serving in the area of effect for approved campaigns related to the Global War on Terrorism.