Artifact Friday: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Liberation Medals

This Friday, we are talking about the Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Liberation Medals that were awarded to coalition force members who served during Operation Desert Storm.

A service member is eligible for this award if they served in direct support of Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, parts of the Arabian Sea, or Gulf of Aden. Service members could also be considered if they served on the landmasses of Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates between January 17, 1991, and February 28, 1991.

There are two models of this medal, the Kuwait version and the Saudi Arabia version, which is rarer in its production. The Saudi Arabia medal can only be awarded to service members during the few weeks between January and February; the Kuwait medal can be awarded for service over three years.

The design of the medal itself is a gold medallion with a map of the region, a crown, and a palm tree with crossed swords. This medal is a unique one due to its design from the region and the small time frame of its service recognition. The medal ribbon is green with red, white, and black stripes reflecting the national colors of Saudi Arabia.

The Kuwait Liberation Medal shows a falcon with the symbol of Kuwait's prowess on top of it. The medal has similar colors to the Saudi Arabian ribbon, as the colors are green, red, white, and black stripes.

Both medals commemorate the service of Desert Storm and direct participation in the liberation of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and were authorized by King Fahd in 1991. These medals show the sacrifice and liberation that service members made during Desert Storm and show the resilience of our military toward freedom.