The Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal (RCECM) is a

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

and

United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...

campaign medal established on 22 May 2019. The medal recognizes air force personnel, "in non-deployed status who directly participated in a

U.S. Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...

(DoD) combat operation from a remote location.Air Force releases criteria for new Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs, October 28, 2019.

Eligibility

The RCECM will be awarded to

airmen An airman is a member of an air force or air arm of a nation's armed forces. In certain air forces, it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank. An airman can also be referred as a soldier in other definitions. In civilian aviation usage, t ...

and guardians serving in remotely piloted aircraft, cyber, space and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance career fields, who create direct combat effects from remote locations and lead to strategic outcomes or the delivery of lethal force. In some circumstances, airmen and guardians from other career fields may be considered for the RCECM, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Service members may be awarded the RCECM for actions completed on or after 11 September 2001, while also serving under the following conditions: # Was assigned or attached to a unit directly in support of a DoD combat operation as approved by the chief of staff of the Air Force (listed below) # Was serving in a remotely piloted aircraft; cyber; space or intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance career field # Personally provided hands-on employment of a weapon system that had direct and immediate impact on combat operations # Was not physically exposed to hostile actions or at risk of exposure to hostile action

Qualifying campaigns

Qualifying DoD combat operations: Airmen who have received a DoD or Air and Space campaign or expeditionary medal or ribbon for the same period of service are not eligible to receive the RCECM. Eligible personnel will be only awarded one medal upon meeting the initial criteria for the award. A separate bronze

campaign star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...

is worn on the medal suspension or ribbon to recognize each qualifying DoD combat operation in which the personnel participated for one or more days.

Description

The medal bears a bronze color 1 ¼ inch metal disc bearing a starburst. The starburst behind the grid-lined sphere conveys power and the ability to remotely effect the battlefield, anywhere in the world. The delta followed by the contrail portrays the remotely piloted aircraft and weapons systems. The

Hap Arnold Henry Harley Arnold (June 25, 1886 – January 15, 1950) was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps (1938–1941), ...

symbol denotes the U.S. Air Force. The reverse bears a circular inscription, “COMBAT EFFECTS CAMPAIGN” above, and “UNITED STATES AIR FORCE” below, and a “Hap Arnold” symbol above a stacked inscription that reads “REMOTE COMBAT SUPPORT”. A pair of beveled deltas flank the circular inscription. The ribbon is predominantly blue, with a wide light blue center stripe flanked on either side by a narrow white stripe. The colors represent the U.S. Air Force.

References

{{Authority control 2019 establishments in the United States Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force Awards and decorations of the United States Space Force Awards established in 2019 Unmanned aerial vehicles United States campaign medals