Question: Which five uniformed services of the United States are eligible for the National Defense Service Medal?

The Armed Forces Civilian Service Medal (AFCSM) is established to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Defense civilian workforce who directly support the military forces, when those members are engaged in military operations of a prolonged peacekeeping or humanitarian nature.  The AFCSM symbolizes the importance the Department of Defense attaches to civilian service and recognizes the value of civilian service in helping to accomplish the U.S. Government's objectives.  This award honors those employees who support designated operations under the same or similar conditions as U.S. military members, thereby strengthening the partnership between the civilian services and uniformed services. <SEP>  The medal was first intended to be a "blanket campaign medal" awarded to service members who served honorably during a designated time period of which a "national emergency" had been declared during a time of war or conflict.  It may also be issued to active military members for any other period that the Secretary of Defense designates.  Because of its blanket issuance, active service members sometimes dismissively refer to it as the "fire guard" medal (after a safety watch in living quarters which all take turns at doing). The National Defense Service Medal is a service medal of the United States Armed Forces established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. <SEP> The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States of America.  The President of the United States is the U.S. Armed Forces's overall head, and helps form military policy with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), both federal executive departments, acting as the principal organs by which military policy is carried out.  All five armed services are among the seven uniformed services of the United States.  It consists of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. <SEP> The Texas Cavalry Service Medal is a service medal of the Texas National Guard which was created by the Texas Legislature under Senate Bill 955 and signed into law by Governor Rick Perry June 17, 2005.  Senate Bill 955, an amendment to Texas Government Code § 431.134, became effective on September 1, 2005.  The Texas Cavalry Medal is awarded to personnel who served on or after September 11, 2001, in the 124th Cavalry, Texas Army National Guard and who served in a hostile fire zone as designated by the United States Secretary of Defense.  This medal is a one time award and there is no provision for subsequent awards.  The first 182 cavalry troopers eligible for the award completed their tour of duty in Iraq on February 11, 2005.  Carrying the same unit heraldry as the 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, members of the Texas National Guard's Brigade Reconnaissance Troops mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom III were also eligible for this award.  The order of precedence for this new award has it falling between the Texas Combat Service Ribbon and the Texas Faithful Service Medal.  The Texas Cavalry Service Medal is no longer awarded.