The New Hampshire National Guard Distinguished Service Medal honors New Hampshire National Guard members who carry out sustained exceptional service, typically in a position of substantial responsibility.
The New Hampshire National Guard consists of the New Hampshire Army National Guard and the New Hampshire Air National Guard. The Army component originated in 1861 as the Concord Volunteers and is still based in Concord. The Air component was established in 1947 with the 133d Fighter Squadron and is headquartered in Portsmouth; its major unit is the 157th Air Refueling Wing.
The ribbon features dark blue on the right with a light blue vertical stripe at the interior and light blue on the left with a dark blue vertical stripe at the interior.