▁War . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁recip ient ▁was ▁Major ▁General ▁Charles ▁M . ▁Clement ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁longest - ten ured ▁National ▁Guard ▁officer ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁the ▁award ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁author ized . ▁The ▁medal ▁was ▁similar ▁in ▁design ▁to ▁the ▁Mexican ▁Border ▁Service ▁Medal , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁established ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁as ▁the ▁Spanish ▁War ▁Service ▁Medal . ▁ ▁C riteria ▁To ▁be ▁awarded ▁the ▁Spanish ▁War ▁Service ▁Medal , ▁a ▁service ▁member ▁must ▁have ▁served ▁on ▁active ▁duty ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁between ▁the ▁dates ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁April ▁ 1 8 9 9 . ▁Those ▁who ▁were ▁awarded ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Camp aign ▁Medal ▁were ▁in el ig ible ▁to ▁receive ▁the ▁Spanish ▁War ▁Service ▁Medal . ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish ▁War ▁Service ▁Medal ▁was ▁a ▁one ▁time ▁decor ation ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁devices ▁author ized ▁to ▁the ▁medal . ▁The ▁award ▁was ▁also ▁strictly ▁for ▁Army ▁personnel , ▁since ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁and ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁personnel , ▁who ▁had ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War , ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Camp aign ▁Medal ▁regardless ▁if ▁over se as ▁duty ▁was ▁performed . ▁ ▁App earance ▁The ▁medal ▁is ▁made ▁of ▁bronze ▁and ▁is ▁ ▁wide . ▁The ▁ob verse ▁of ▁the ▁medal ▁is ▁a ▁Roman ▁sword ▁h anging ▁on ▁a ▁table t ▁bearing ▁the ▁ins cription ▁FOR ▁SER VICE ▁IN ▁THE ▁SP AN IS H ▁W AR . ▁The ▁table t