AFPC completes more than 111,000 Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal updates Published March 26, 2015 By Debbie Gildea Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas -- The Air Force Personnel Center completed more than 111,000 record updates to reflect the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal and subsequent awards for Airmen currently serving, Air Force officials said today. The medal, approved in May 2014, recognizes Airmen dedicated to national strategic nuclear deterrence objectives, and may be awarded to eligible active duty, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, retired and separated Airmen. It can also be awarded posthumously to family members of Airmen who are deceased. AFPC was originally slated to update records of currently serving eligible Airmen from January 2008 through October 2014. However, to lessen the workload for installation personnel sections, AFPC instead updated records from the Dec. 27, 1991 retroactive eligibility date through Dec. 10, 2014, said Col. Joe Atkins, AFPC Directorate of Personnel Services Operations Division chief. "Our team initially did two batch updates that included more than 111,000 basic medals and devices," said Atkins. The updates did not include Airmen who are currently assigned to a qualified unit, the colonel explained. Those Airmen will be presented their medals upon completion of their current assignment. The codes necessary for base personnel sections to add the NDOSM to eligible Airmen's records are available, so base personnel teams are able to complete documentation and records updates for future awards, the colonel said. Although basic awards, and subsequent oak leaf clusters, were updated, updating records for Airmen eligible for the "N" device requires certification that couldn't be accomplished via the batch update process, Atkins said. The "N" device updates will be accomplished by base personnel sections. Each member's current group commander (colonel or civilian leader equivalent or above) is the approval authority and certifies the award of the NDOSM, and the member's current servicing military personnel section are now making the updates that began Jan. 6. The NDOSM is projected to be available in military clothing sales stores this month and estimated to be in military supply channels in April 2015. For more information about Air Force personnel programs go to myPers at https://mypers.af.mil. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one at www.retirees.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120510-068.pdf.