On 18 September 2014, Secretary of the Army John McHugh signed a memorandum authorizing an Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer to be awarded to US Army units that participated in military operations in Somalia during the period 5 December 1992-31 March 1995.  Although all Soldiers who served in Somalia received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the streamer recognizes service in Somalia at the unit level and becomes part of that unit’s lineage and honors.

Authority for units to receive a streamer is granted in Department of the Army General Order (DA GO) 73, dated 21 November 2014.  The DA GO includes a list of recognized units compiled by the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH) in coordination with Awards and Decorations Branch, U.S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC).  Also included are individual subordinate companies (or their equivalents) that deployed separately from their parent battalion headquarters.   In order to receive a streamer, an eligible unit must have deployed at least fifty percent of its authorized strength into Somalia.  Inclusion on the list confers campaign participation credit for Somalia.  That credit will be added to a Lineage and Honors Certificate for each unit.  This list represents the results of careful analysis of the best available historical information.  However, if a unit is not included, but believes it should have been, it may submit evidence to HRC, to include, at a minimum, deployment orders or other official documentation specifying deployment dates and verifying that greater than fifty percent of the unit’s authorized strength deployed to the Somalia.  HRC’s Awards and Decorations Branch can be contacted at usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-awards@mail.mil.  Additional information, including instructions for ordering streamers from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), Clothing and Heraldry Product Support Integration Directorate, is included in HRC MILPER Message 14-370.  Units with general questions may contact CMH at history.army.mil/inquiries/index.html.

Also included on the list for campaign participation credit, but ineligible for a streamer, are units which deployed less than fifty percent strength.  Such units are identified on the DA GO  as a “Detachment” of their parent organization.  Their inclusion is recognition that the unit deployed some personnel, but the unit itself is not eligible to receive a streamer (individual Soldiers who participated have already received their AFEM).

The Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer will be in the colors of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.  Streamers for display on unit colors (flag or guidon sized) will be embroidered “SOMALIA” and include an earned honor device, if applicable.  Streamers for display on the Army flag will be embroidered “SOMALIA 1992-1995,” and can be ordered through TACOM's website.