The Humanitarian Service Medal has been approved for award to soldiers and other U.S. service members who participated in Operation Damayan, the massive Pacific Command relief effort that followed Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in fall 2013.
Eligible soldiers were among 13,400 service members who were assigned to Joint Task Force 505, functional component commands and Pacific Command, and who were physically present and provided humanitarian assistance from during Nov. 10 to Dec. 1, 2013.
Within the Army, personnel eligibility has been delegated to the commanders having operational control over soldiers participating in the relief effort.The authority cannot be delegated below the command level of colonel.
The approval authority for Army veterans and retirees is the commander of the Human Resources Command, Attn:AHRC-PDP-A, 1600 Spearhead Division Ave., Fort Knox, KY 40122-5408.
Specific eligibility criteria include:
- Soldiers must have been on active duty at the time of direct participation in the relief effort. Active duty means full-time duty in the active military service of the United States.
- Provides eEvidence that substantiates direct participation in the relief mission during the qualifying period.
Acceptable evidence includes certificates, letters of commendation or appreciation; officer and NCO evaluation reports, and copies of temporary duty or specialty duty orders and unit records reflecting a soldier's participation in the mission.
Also acceptable are statements from commanders, supervisors and other officials who were in a position to substantiate a soldier's participation in the operation.
Under the Army's military awards regulation (AR 600-8-22), soldiers are not entitled to more than one award of the Humanitarian Service Medal for participation in the same act or operation. A bronze service star will be worn to denote direct participation in a second or subsequent humanitarian act or operation.
Operation Damayan was the Pacific Command response to a mammoth typhoon that reduced much of the Philippine coastal city of Tacloban and parts of Leyte to rubble.
The U.S. military response included 13,400 service members, 66 aircraft, 12 naval vessels and the evacuation of 21,000 people from the storm area.
Participating units included the Army's 593rd Sustainment Command, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade from Okinawa, the USS George Washington aircraft carrier and the amphibious ships USS Ashland and USS Germantown.
