Southwest Asia Service Medal
| Southwest Asia Service Medal | |
|---|---|
| Type | Campaign medal |
| Presented by | the U.S. Department of Defense |
| Eligibility | U.S. military personnel who served in Southwest Asia from August 2, 1990 (or January 17, 1991, for Turkey and Egypt) to November 30, 1995. |
| Status | Not currently awarded |
| Established | EO 12754, March 12, 1991, as amended |
| First award | 1991 (retroactive to either August 2, 1990, or January 17, 1991, depending on location) |
| Final award | November 30, 1995 |
Service ribbon: 1991 to 2016 Service ribbon: 2016 to present Southwest Asia Service Medal campaign streamer | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Vietnam Service Medal |
| Next (lower) | Kosovo Campaign Medal |
| Related | National Defense Service Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) |
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The Southwest Asia Service Medal (SASM or SWASM) was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty as part of the Persian Gulf War and for a time thereafter. The medal was designed by Nadine Russell of the Army's Institute of Heraldry. The colors of the ribbon are tan, representing sand, with the black, white, red, blue, and green colors symbolizing the colors of coalition countries' national flags.