text: marine corps expeditionay medal or navy expeditionary medal? i was entitled to the mcem in 1962 and in 1997 asked for it and was sent the nem. i then read somewhere the navy ran out of mcem and was issuing nem in  place. what is going on, has anybody had this experience? i haven't had this experience myself, but i located a couple of links. the first is from a 1953 document, stating that only nems will be awarded after the existing supply of mcems is exhausted.  however, i have found notes here and there that lead me to believe that it is has been issued in recent years.  i recommend that you send an email to the address in the second link.