Kuwait Liberation Medal (Emirate of Kuwait) - 1990
Name of Award Kuwait Liberation Medal (Emirate of Kuwait)
Year Awarded 1990
Last Updated: Jan 8, 2021
This ribbon does not rate any devices for subsequent awards
Details Behind Award
I deployed to Manama, Bahrain from NAF Atsugi with a VQ-1 World Watcher EP3 detachment from September to December 1990. On arrival I asked the intel officer of the det we were relieving, "What happens if the flagship gets underway?" to which he said it would never happen. BS! No sooner did I board USS Lasalle that I learned she was getting underway the next week! We needed to find a secure facility fast or we'd be sleeping on the plane with the classified gear. In addition to supporting the daily flights I jumped through my butt to coordinate, submit all the paperwork and gain navy approval to establish at temporary secure compartmented facility (T-SCIF) at the American Embassy to support our operations. The chain of command back in Japan and Guam was quick to express their displeasure that I was moving Det operations off the flagship and went as far as to send me opnotes directing me to return to the flagship! They eventually got it. Our T-SCIF wasn't much larger than a closet to stow the classified and secure comms through the embassy to get the mission reports out. And most important, it was a whole lot better than the alternative of sleeping on the plane with the classified gear. The Det personnel bedded down at a four-star hotel in town, ate at the local restaurants and shopped for carpets, gold and perfumes at the souk. I made it back to NAF Atsugi just before Christmas. Having debriefed Desert Shield operations to the commander CTF72 and CFAIRWESTPAC, I was invited to fly down to the Phillipines with them to brief the Ranger CVBG (commanded by RADM Zlatoper) which was enroute the Persian Gulf for Desert Storm. I then went stateside for the holidays and on a returning stopover in Honolulu CNN reported that DS operations had commenced. A new American Embassy had been completed in Bahrain and the VQ Det eventually took over the old embassy building in its entirety.
BACKGROUND: The Kuwait Liberation Medal was approved by the Kuwait Council of Ministers for award in five classes, generally according to the rank of the recipient. The medal was offered by the Chief of Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces on July 16, 1994.
A nation of seafarers and ship builders, Kuwait chose as their coat of arms, the traditional dhow. Falconry is the sport of Kings in the Persian Gulf, and the falcon in the arms is seen as a symbol of Kuwaiti prowess. The official symbolism of the colors is that black symbolizes battlefields, white is for deeds, green is for the meadows, and red is for the blood of Kuwait's enemies.
The US accepted only the fifth grade version for all personnel.
Criteria: Awarded to members of the Military Coalition who served in support of Operation Desert Shield or Desert Storm in one or more of the following areas between 2 August 1990 and 31 August 1993: Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, that portion of the Arabian Sea that lies north of 10 degrees north latitude and west of 68 degrees east longitude, as well as the total land areas of Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. To be eligible,[2] a service member must have been:[3] (1) attached to or regularly serving for one or more days with an organization participating in ground/shore (military) operations;(2) attached to or regularly serving for one or more days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations;(3) actually participating as a crew member in one or more aerial flights directly supporting military operations in the areas designated above;(4) serving on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days. These time limitations may be waived for members participating in actual combat operations. The Government of Kuwait offered the Kuwait Liberation Medal to members of the Armed Forces of the United States by letter dated 16 July 1994. The medal was accepted by Secretary of Defense William J. Perry per memorandum dated 16 March 1995.
The Kuwait version of the Kuwait Liberation Medal is considered junior in precedence to the Saudi Arabian version of the medal.
Fifth Class[edit] Medal: A Bronze medal with enamel, 1 9/16 inches (40 mm) in diameter suspended from a bar by a wreath. The obverse bears the Coat of Arms of the State of Kuwait. The Coat of Arms consists of the shield of the flag design in color superimposed on a falcon with wings displayed. The falcon supports a disk containing a sailing ship with the full name of the State written at the top of the disk. At the top of the medal is the inscription "1991 LIBERATION MEDAL" in Arabic letters. The reverse side is the map of Kuwait on a rayed background. Ribbon: The ribbon is the pattern of the flag of the State of Kuwait and consists of three equal stripes 29/64 inch (11.5 mm) each of the following colors: Old Glory Red 67156; White 67101; and Irish Green 67189. A black trapezium is at the top of the ribbon drape and service ribbon. Intended for non-commissioned personnel.
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