250 units get to add SWA service streamer to guide-on

  • Published
  • By Maj. Stephanie Addison
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs
U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs --  More than 250 Air Force units are now eligible to receive the Southwest Asia Service Medal Streamer - Persian Gulf for service during the Defense of Saudi Arabia, the Liberation and Defense of Kuwait, and the Cease Fire Campaign that took place during 1990 thru 1995.

The award of the SWASM Streamer - Persian Gulf is the result of a concerted effort between the United States Central Command Air Forces Personnel Office and the USCENTAF History Office to ensure organizations and personnel received proper credit for the three campaigns associated with Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

"It's important we as an Air Force properly recognize our units and personnel for their sacrifices in the long term through the Air Force History Program," said Capt. Paul B. Oakes. "It also comes down to a matter of service pride. We want our Airmen to be able to stand tall in unit formations while displaying their guide-on next to their Army counterparts, especially when they've worked side-by-side supporting the same operations."

The Air Force History Research Agency is responsible for compiling and disseminating unit lineage and honors.

"We wanted to finally award long-overdue credit to deserving Air Force units," said Bill Butler, Air Force Historical Research Agency. "Recognizing unit contributions to campaigns and contingencies is just as important as recognizing individuals for their efforts. In this particular instance, the people were long ago recognized when they received their individual SWA Service Medals in the 1990s. However, we the AF have not been as diligent in recognizing units as a whole."

No orders for campaign credit had been issued since Vietnam, according to Mr. Butler.

"Desert Storm was the first large-scale contingency that the Air Force had been involved with, of course, our expeditionary missions accelerated into the 1990s," he said. "So we were keenly aware of the gap in recognizing units with credits and streamers. We are also hoping to get final approval for Kosovo streamers for units that participated in the 24 March-10 June 1999 Air Campaign."

For a list of units eligible, click the link to Special Order GA-033.