A soldier, airman, or guardian must be assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. A soldier, airman, or guardian must actually exit an aircraft or watercraft to receive assault credit. Individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the soldier, airman, or guardian is attached or assigned at the time of the assault. Should a unit be denied assault, no assault credit will accrue to the individual soldiers, airmen, or guardian of that unit.
The arrowhead device must be authorized for wear in order to be worn on the suspension and service ribbons of the medal and is placed in position to the wearer's right of other devices on the ribbons including the "V" device, 3⁄16 in (4.8 mm) service star, and 3⁄16-inch campaign star.[4] No more than one arrowhead may be worn on a medal and service ribbon. As of 2004[update], the medals which are authorized the arrowhead device are as follows:
Examples of the Arrowhead Device as seen on the Afghanistan Campaign and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals for airborne operations by GEN Joseph Votel (ret), which correspond to the two Combat Jump Devices on his Master Parachutist Badge