The medal is awarded to any member of the United States Coast Guard who performs twenty-one days of non-consecutive duty afloat or ashore north of the Arctic Circle.

Air crews flying in and out of areas north of the Arctic Circle may also be awarded the medal for 21 days of non-consecutive service.

The medal depicts a polar bear under the North Star, while the reverse side carries the Coast Guard Shield.

[2][3] The Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal may be awarded to any person who meets the qualifications related to service in defined geographic areas or at specific duty stations.

Only one medal may be awarded per deployment or year in the case of qualifying air crews.