Criteria: Awarded to service members completing a total of ten years service as a member of a Reserve or National Guard component of the United States military. This service may be cumulative, provided that the combined ten years of service was performed over a period of twelve consecutive years. Voluntary recalls to active duty are not counted within the ten years of service nor is service within the inactive reserves (IRR).

The Armed Forces Reserve Medal is also awarded to any member of the Reserve of National Guard who is mobilized to an active duty status. In such cases, the ten year period criterion is waived and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal is presented regardless of time in service. The Mobilization device is awarded as an attachment to the Armed Forces Reserve Medal in all such cases of mobilization to active duty.

The Armed Forces Reserve Medal is a service wide decoration for all branches of the military and is presented to both officers and enlisted personnel.

Special Note:

There are six different varieties of this medal. All six varieties are identical on the front side of the medal, however, on the reverse side of the medallion is a special branch-specific symbol denoting each service personnel's unique branch of service. The six varieties are as follows: (1) U.S. Army; (2) U.S. Air Force; (3) U.S. Coast Guard; (4) U.S. Navy; (5) U.S. Marine Corps, and; (6) National Guard

Attachments: Bronze Hourglass Device, Mobilization Device, Bronze Numeral (0,1,2,...9) Device