Iraq Campaign Medal The Iraq Campaign Medal ( ICM ) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created by Executive Order of U . S . President George W . Bush on 29 November 2004 . The Iraq Campaign Medal was designed by the U . S . Army Institute of Heraldry and was awarded from 29 November 2004 to 31 December 2011 . Criteria . The Iraq Campaign Medal became available for general distribution in June 2005 . It was awarded to any member of the U . S . military who performed duty within the borders of Iraq ( or its territorial waters ) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non - consecutive days . The medal was awarded retroactively from 19 March 2003 until the end of on 31 December 2011 . Personnel who engaged in combat with an enemy force , or personnel wounded in combat or wounded as a result of a terrorist attack within Iraq received the Iraq Campaign Medal regardless of the number of days spent within the country . In addition , each day participating in aerial missions as a " regularly assigned air crewmember of an aircraft flying sorties into , out of , within or over Iraq and in direct support of the military operations " established a single day of eligibility , when the required minimum days of eligibility were accrued , the medal was then awarded . The medal was also awarded posthumously to any service member who died in the line of duty within Iraq , including from non - combat injuries such as accidents and mishaps . On 23 April 2012 , an order terminating the award of the campaign medal was issued by the Department of Defense . The order is effective to 31 December 2011 , the day Operation New Dawn ended . U . S . military personnel serving inside the borders of Iraq after December 2011 will not be eligible to receive the Iraq Campaign Medal . Campaign phases and devices . The following are the established campaign phases for the Iraq Campaign Medal : For each campaign phase that an individual participates in , a bronze 3 / 16 " service star is worn on the service ribbon , with a silver service star being worn in lieu of five bronze service stars : < ref name = NavyAdminMsg141 / 08 > < / ref > The Iraq Campaign Medal may also be awarded with the combat operation insignia for qualified sailors assigned to Marine Corps units , as well as the arrowhead device for qualified soldiers . Appearance . The medal is bronze in appearance , in diameter . The obverse depicts a relief of the map of Iraq , surmounted by two lines representing the Tigris and Euphrates rivers throughout , superimposed over a palm wreath . Above is the inscription " IRAQ CAMPAIGN . " On the reverse , the Statue of Freedom surmounts a sunburst , encircled by two scimitars pointing down with the blades crossing at the tips . Below is the inscription " FOR SERVICE IN IRAQ . " The medal is suspended from a ribbon wide . The stripes of the ribbon are : 5 / 32 inch scarlet at the edges , followed by 1 / 16 inch white , 1 / 32 inch green and 1 / 16 inch white . The white is separated by a 5 / 32 inch black with a 7 / 16 inch stripe in chamois in the center . Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal . The award replaced the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for service in Iraq from 19 March 2003 , through 30 April 2005 . Personnel who previously received the GWOTEM for Iraq service were given the option to exchange the medal for the Iraq Campaign Medal . Both medals were not authorized for the same period of service in Iraq and any Iraq service which followed the medal ' s creation was recognized only with the Iraq Campaign Medal .