Medal riband fitted with original mounting brooch with intricate hinged pin & drop-lock clasp fittingsThe reverse of 9mm crimp brooch with maker hallmark 'Graco-GI'The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) was instituted in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy. The medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, participated in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, or U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nationsThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal may be authorized for three categories of operations: U.S. military operations; U.S. military operations in direct support of the United Nations; and U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations. The medal is only awarded for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is approved, where a foreign armed opposition or imminent threat of hostile action was encounteredSince its original conception in 1961, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal has been awarded for United States participation in over 45 designated military campaigns. The first campaign of the AFEM was the Cuban Missile Crisis and the award was issued for military service between October 1962 and June 1963. Following this original issuance, the AFEM was made retroactive to 1958 and issued for actions in Lebanon, Taiwan, Republic of the Congo, Quemoy and Matsu, and for duty in Berlin between 1961 and 1963During the early years of the Vietnam War, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal was issued for initial operations in South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal was intended to replace the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal and Navy Expeditionary Medal, but this never occurred, and both services continue to award their service expeditionary medals and the AFEM, though not concurrently for the same actionCondition: EF