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6d ago

USS Arleigh Burke Crew Earns Armed Forces Service Medal for Missile-Defense Operations

The non-combat decoration recognizes participation in designated operations where no foreign armed opposition was encountered.

The crew of the destroyer USS Arleigh Burke has received the Armed Forces Service Medal for destroying Iranian missiles.
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Overview

  • The destroyer announced that sailors who served from Aug. 15 to Dec. 16, 2024, or during June 12 to 24, 2025, are eligible for the award.
  • Arleigh Burke took part in intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israel in April 2024 and again during the June 2025 '12-Day War,' with U.S. Central Command reporting more than 80 drones and at least six missiles downed overall in the April operation.
  • A June 29 Navy release credited the ship as one of five destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean that destroyed multiple ballistic missiles during the June 2025 fighting.
  • Sailors who qualified during both eligibility windows will receive the medal with a subsequent award device.
  • The recognition aligns with broader honors for U.S. forces who defended Israel, including Distinguished Flying Crosses awarded to three D.C. Air National Guard F-16 pilots for downing Iranian drones in April 2024.