There were seventeen designated campaigns during the Vietnam War. Individuals are entitled to wear one bronze star on the Vietnam Service Medal for each campaign they participated in. A silver star is worn “in lieu” of five bronze stars. For instance, seven campaigns would be annotated by one silver star and two bronze stars. When worn together, the silver star(s) will be worn to the wearer’s right of any bronze star(s).

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Advisory                                        March 15, 1962 to March 7, 1965

Defense                                         March 8, 1965 to  December 24, 1965

Counteroffensive                           December 25, 1965 to June 30, 1966

Counteroffensive. Phase II              July 1, 1966 to May 31, 1967

Counteroffensive, Phase III             June 1, 1967 to January 29, 1968

Tet Counteroffensive                      January 30, 1968 to April 1, 1968

Counteroffensive, Phase IV             April 2, 1968 to June 30, 1968

Counteroffensive, Phase V              July 1, 1968 to November 1, 1968

Counteroffensive, Phase VI             November 2, 1968 to February 22, 1969

Tet 69/Counteroffensive                February 23, 1969 to June 8, 1969

Summer-Fall 1969                         June 9, 1969 to October 31, 1969

Winter-Spring 1970                        November 1, 1969 to April 30, 1970

Sanctuary Counteroffensive            May 1, 1970 to June 30, 1970

Counteroffensive, Phase VII            July 1, 1970 to June 30, 1971

Consolidation I                               July 1, 1971 to November 30, 1972

Consolidation II                              December 1, 1971 to March 29, 1972

Cease-Fire                                     March 30, 1972 to January 28, 1973