The Medal of Honor was established.

The Navy Good Conduct Medal was established.

The Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal was established.

The Army's Distinguished Service Medal was established.

The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal was established.

The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal was established.

The Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal was established.

The Navy Expeditionary Medal was established.

The Army Good Conduct Medals was established.

President Harry S Truman established the Korean Service Medal to recognize service members who served in the war zone.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the National Defense Service Medal to recognize members of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency. Service during these periods, from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022, qualifies a service member for the award, regardless of whether they served in a combat zone.

The Heraldic Division, Quartermaster General’s Office, of the U.S. Army was requested to provide designs for the NDSM.

President Dwight Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10448, establishing the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM). The medal was intended to recognize all service members who served during the Korean War, including those who did not serve in the war zone.

H. Jones' design for the National Defense Service Medal was submitted to the U.S. Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel (G1).

A Department of Defense committee selected Jones' design for the National Defense Service Medal for final approval.

President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11265, expanding eligibility for the NDSM to service members who served during any period after December 31, 1960, which the Secretary of Defense designates as being a period for which active military service merits special recognition.

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs set August 14, 1974, as the closing date for NDSM eligibility related to the Vietnam War era.

The eligibility period for the NDSM during the Gulf War was defined as from August 2, 1990, to November 30, 1995.

Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney authorized the NDSM for active service on or after August 2, 1990, with no termination date established.

President George H.W. Bush issued Executive Order 12776, extending eligibility for the NDSM to members of the Reserve Components during the period of the Gulf War.

The Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense authorized the reinstatement of the NDSM for all active duty personnel retroactive to September 11, 2001.

President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13293, amending EO 10448 to extend eligibility to all Selected Reserve personnel, including actively drilling members of the reserve components and the National Guard, making them eligible for all previous eligibility periods.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a memorandum stating that the issuance of the NDSM would be suspended after December 31, 2022.