(a)
(b)
(1) Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days with an organization participating in or directly supporting military operations.
(2) Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days abroad a Naval vessel directly supporting military operations.
(3) Actually participate as a crewmember in one or more aerial flights into airspace above Vietnam and contiguous waters directly supporting military operations.
(4) Serve on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days in Vietnam or contiguous areas, except that time limit may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat operations.
(c) No person will be entitled to more than one award of the VSM.
(d) Individuals qualified for the AFEM for reason of service in Vietnam between July 1, 1958 and July 3, 1965 (inclusive) shall remain qualified for that medal. Upon request (unit personnel officer) any such individual may be awarded the VSM instead of the AFEM. In such instances, the AFEM will be deleted from the list of authorized medals in personnel records. No person will be entitled to both awards for Vietnam service.
(e) Service members who earned the AFEM for Operation FREQUENT WIND between April 29-30, 1975, may elect to receive the Vietnam Service Medal instead of the AFEM. No service member may be issued both medals for service in Vietnam.
(f) Vietnam and contiguous waters, as used herein, is defined as an area which includes Vietnam and the water adjacent thereto within the following specified limits: From a point on the East Coast of Vietnam at the juncture of Vietnam with China southeastward to 21 degrees N. latitude, 108 degrees; 15′E. longitude; thence, southward to 18 degrees; N. latitude, 108 degrees; 15′ E. longitude; thence southeastward to 17 degrees 30′ N. latitude, 111 degrees E. longitude; thence southward to 11 degrees N. latitude; 111 degrees E. longitude; thence southwestward to 7 degrees N. latitude, 105 degrees E. longitude; thence westward to 7 degrees N. latitude, 103 degrees; E. longitude; thence northward to 9 degrees 30′ N. latitude, 103 degrees E. longitude, thence northeastward to 10 degrees 15′ N. latitude, 104 degrees 27′ E. longitude; thence northward to a point on the West Coast of Vietnam at the juncture of Vietnam with Cambodia.
(g) The VSM may be awarded posthumously.
(h) The boundaries of the Vietnam combat zone for campaign participation credit are as defined in paragraph (d) of this section.
(i) One bronze service star is authorized for each campaign under the following conditions:
(1) Assigned or attached to and present for duty with a unit during the period in which it participated in combat.
(2) Under orders in the combat zone and in addition meets any of the following requirements:
(i) Awarded a combat decoration.
(ii) Furnished a certificate by a commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that he actually participated in combat.
(iii) Served at a normal post of duty (as contrasted to occupying the status of an inspector, observer, or visitor).
(iv) Aboard a vessel other than in a passenger status and furnished a certificate by the home port commander of the vessel that he served in the combat zone.
(3) Was an evadee or escapee in the combat zone or recovered from a prisoner-of-war status in the combat zone during the time limitations of the campaign. Prisoners of war will not be accorded credit for the time spent in confinement or while otherwise in restraint under enemy control.
(j)
(k) The Vietnam campaigns are provided in Table 7 below:
