The Afghanistan Commemorative Medal is awarded to military personnel who served in the War in Afghanistan or in Operation Enduring Freedom, beginning in 2001 and extending to an undetermined date. The Afghanistan Commemorative Medal is distinct from the Afghanistan Campaign Medal as the award was instituted by legislation from Congress rather than by the Department of Defense.
The medal features the Afghanistan national flag, which has black, red, and green vertical stripes. The medal is rimmed in black, and a red, white, and black star appear on the bottom. The upper portion of the medal reads “AFGHANISTAN COMMEMORATIVE.” The ribbon features the stripes in the color of the Afghan flag bordered by thinner red, white, and blue stripes on each side.