This coin was awarded 'For Excellence' by Major General (MG) Thomas F. Metz, Commanding General (CG), 24th Infantry Division (24th ID), Fort Riley, Kansas between November 7, 2001 and February 3, 2003.  During this time period, Metz was chosen to serve for 4 months as the Chief of Staff, CENTCOM, during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) from October 2002 to January 2003.

From 1999 to 2006, 24th ID consisted of a headquarters and three separate National Guard brigades; the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (30th HBCT) at Clinton, North Carolina, the 218th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (218th HBCT) at Columbia, South Carolina, and the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (48th IBCT) in Macon, Georgia. The division headquarters was responsible for the Guard brigades should they be called to active duty in wartime. This never occurred, as each brigade deployed individually. The division's final operations included preparing Fort Riley for the return of the 1st Infantry Division, which was stationed in Germany.