Humanitarian Service Medal miniature
The Humanitarian Service Medal was authorized by Executive Order 11965, Jan. 19, 1977. It was established to honor personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States who distinguished themselves by meritorious direct participation in a significant military act or operation of a humanitarian nature, or have rendered a service to mankind. The number of eligible operations are too numerous to mention and have included a wide variety of services from the first operation of the Guyana Disaster Relief in Jonestown, Guyana in 1978 and have included disaster, flood, tornado, and earthquake relief work and snow removal work. Also included were Operation Boat People, Evacuation of Laos, Cuban Refugee Resettlement, Beirut Evacuation, the Cholera Epidemic in the Truk Islands and operations of humanitarian aid in the United States and every corner of the world.