You can always spot a sailor man with an Ice
Ribbon.......but what does it represent and how easy/tough was it to obtain???
The Penguin knows....ha ha ha ha..... 
You can always spot a sailor man with an Ice
Ribbon.......but what does it represent and how easy/tough was it to obtain???
The Penguin knows....ha ha ha ha.....
The specs adopted after 1987 were to slow down the ice medals
being awarded to the Air Farce. Before that it only took one (1) trip to the
ice for them to receive the Antarctic service medal. I think that over the
years those requirements changed quite a lot depending on who was handing out
what. If the Air Farce was in charge we would all have had Medals of Honor
for end of tour awards.
Don S
=
Don:
Your input appreciated but the provisions for 30 days was NOT put in because
of the Air Force in 1987. It was put in in 1973 long before the 1987 which
gave the air crews a bigger break and made it easier for them to earn their
ice medal. I.E. elegible after 15 flights. I think I have done my homework on
this one.
//baceb//
Was there any seperate provisions or exceptions for flight crews
in the 1973 revision?
The paragraph referring to air flights has not changed since the inception
of the award. The only change is the definition of "Antarctica" which
is now
defined as south of latitude 60 degrees S. This provision used to apply
only to ships. The exact date of this change is not known. Navy regs
dtd 1991 reference this as do USCG regs dtd 1989.
The Navy, under the auspices of the National Science Foundation, was pretty
much in control of everything in Antarctica between the inception of the
medal until last March when the last Navy unit ceased operations in
Antarctica.
The Air Force and the New York Air National Guard have taken over some of the
Navy's missions and I am sure that the award requirements will be revised
again in the near future.
Since almost all of us are aware of the general guidelines for the award, I
will not restate them here, but only cite the specific references to time
requirements.
From the original DoD INSTRUCTION 1348.9 dtd 22NOV60 "There are no
minimum time limits for the prescribed participation." From SECNAVINST
1650.1F dtd 08AUG91 "No minimum time limits of participation under the
foregoing guidelines are required for eligibility for this medal prior to
1 June 1973.
Subsequent to 1 June 1973, minimum time limits for the award are 30 days
under competent orders..."
Although the Antarctic Service Medal is not strictly a USN award--it is a
DoD award, it seems clear from reading other sources that the time limit was
probably enacted because of the 28 day requirement for the Navy Arctic
Service Ribbon (OPNAVNOTE 1650 dtd 3JUN87).
Regardless, any qualifying service prior to 1 June 73 will result in the
award, and since no more than one award was ever authorized (except in the
case of those qualifying for the "Wintered Over" clasps)
re-qualification
after that date is a moot point.
Below is the wording for the current Navy requirements for awarding the
Antarctic Service Medal.
As determined by the wording of the text you can assume that changes
were made to eligibility requirements in 1973 and 1987.
I spent a lot of time in Antarctica from 1962 through 1980 with the US Navy.
I know that prior to the 1973 change that the medal was awarded to anyone
on a ship or an aircraft who went south of 60 degrees south for any amount
of time. I assume that this provision was for aircraft on station SAR
missions and for the radar picket ships both of which never went south
of 60 degrees south. By the 70s the mission did not require assignment of
radar picket ships and on station SAR flights. It was found that support
personnel in NZ who had no duties in Antarctica were taking advantage
of the situation and hitching rides on aircraft for 60 degree turnaround in
order to earn the medal. The Navy Department in its infinite wisdom
instituted the 30 days requirement.
=
Antarctic Service Medal......
This medal was authorized by Public Law 86-600 on July 12, 1961, and
the design received final approval in 1963. It is awarded to members of
Antarctic expeditions and personnel of the permanent Antarctica stations
or for service in contiguous waters, starting with the United States Navy
Operation "Highjump" under the late Rear Admiral Richard Byrd in
beginning 02 January 1946. It is awarded to officers and enlisted men of the armed forces and to deserving civilians, such as scientists
and polar experts.
"Subsequent to 01 June 1973, a minimum period of 30 days of service
at sea or ashore south of 60 degrees latitude was required. Each day
of duty at an outlying station on the Antarctic continent will count as 2
days when determining award eligibility. Effective 01 July 1987, flight
crews of aircraft providing logistics support from outside the Antarctic
area may qualify for the award after 15 missions (one flight in and out
during any 24-hour period equals one mission). Days need not be
consecutive.
A "Wintered Over" clasp is awarded to those who have spent the
winter months (March through October) in Antarctica. A bronze clasp
(or miniature Antarctic continent device on the service ribbon) signifies
one winter; gold two and silver three or more winters.
Dated 20 June 1998
Billy-Ace
=
After I did my thing on the ice the Antarctic Medal was not yet designed.
I
don't even know if they had made up the requirements for awarding a medal
yet. My time on the ice was from October 1959 until November 1960. From
the
sound of things I seem to be eligible for a medal with bronze cluster ? ? ?
I got out of the service in 1961 and had never received or seen what the
medal looks like. If anyone knows where I could purchase a medal w/cluster
(if that is what I am entitled to) I would appreciate the info.
Maybe someone has a photo of one ? ? ?
Thanks for any help forthcoming.
Bill S.
=
The Antarctic Service Medal is awarded for one month of total service in
Antarctica. Service can be in pieces or in one fell swoop. It is also
awarded retroactively. I know because I awarded over 1000 of them in my
three years as CNSFA.
What you will have to do is to get on the telephone and find out the
procedure for obtaining the medal for those who have qualified for it.
You will probably be passed around a bit, but when you figure out the
procedure, I will publish it in the Polar Times and other publications so
that others will benefit from your research. Call the Awards Information
Service at 1-202-685-1770 in Washington DC.
Brian Shoemaker
=
Subject: [OAEs] Ice Medal
Here is fax-sim of Ice medal.
From dark to light to dark is what I read of it
or 360 degrees of Mother Sidereal...
When one wintered over and received
a clasp, did it's base color change with
years of wintering over service?
ie: bronze - silver - gold - plutonium - billyum??
Dave
=
The winter-over clasp changed from bronze to silver to gold. After gold
it
did not change. There is one civilian now with 12 winters to his credit - he
just gets gold.
Sincere regards
Brian Shoemaker
=
UPDATE 10-02
The subject of the
ASM keeps coming up on the One-List and I have been searching the web for a
source for the silver WINTERED-OVER bar for the suspension ribbon on the medal.
Naturally my search hit on www.radiocom.net/vx6 and I noticed the growing story.
>>The winter-over clasp changed from bronze to silver to gold. After gold
it did not change. There is one civilian now with 12 winters to his credit - he
just gets gold.
Sincere regards
Brian Shoemaker
=>>
I don't know how long it has been there, but the above "bottom line"
by Brian Shoemaker is bum skinny. The awards are as follows:
First winter BRONZE
Second winter GOLD
Third and subsequent winters SILVER
Since Brian only wintered once he does not have a service record like I do for
four winters.
Carry on.
Billy-Ace