Established in 2002 by then-Governor Frank O’Bannon, the Indiana Homeland Defense Service Ribbon honors members of Indiana’s Army and Air National Guard who performed services related to homeland defense. The period of eligibility begins on September 11, 2001, and requires that 30 or more days of qualifying service have been carried out starting on or after that date.
Numbering over 16,000, the Indiana National Guard is composed of the Indiana Army National Guard and the Indiana Air National Guard. The Army component, headquartered in Indianapolis, dates back as far as 1801, when a volunteer militia formed in the territory. The Air component is made up of the 122d Fighter Wing, based in Fort Wayne, and the 181st Intelligence Wing, based in Terre Haute.
The ribbon is white with two vertical blue stripes inside of two vertical red stripes, separated by white.