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A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater. Campaign medals are very similar to service medals but carry a higher status as the award usually involves deployment to a foreign region or service in a combat zone.

History

Campaign medals were first invented to recognize general military service in war, in contrast to meritorious decorations which were only issued on a small scale for acts of heroism and bravery. The first widespread use of campaign medals dates to the era of the Napoleonic Wars when Napoleon Bonaparte ordered a large number of ribbons and medals for issue to the soldiers serving under his command.

Campaign medals by country

• Australian campaign medals


• British campaign medals


• Canadian campaign medals


• Malaysian campaign medals


• 
  NATO Medal refers to a number of campaign medals


• New Zealand campaign medals


• Philippines campaign medals


• Polish campaign medals


• South African campaign medals


• South Korean campaign medals


• Soviet campaign medals


• Spanish campaign medals


• Sri Lankan campaign medals


• 
  United Nations Medal refers to a number of campaign medals


• 
  United States campaign medals are included in Awards and decorations of the United States military
  

Other campaign related items

• 
  Medal bar / Campaign clasp
  


• 
  Battle honour / Campaign streamer