Medals NEWS 1/2010
Honours and Recognition Newsletter
Vol. 4 Issue 1, March 2010
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Changes to Afghanistan recognition and more
Recently, major changes regarding recognition for service in South-West Asia, Iraq and for Op ALLIED FORCE were announced.
South West Asia Servie Medal (SWASM)
- Recognition now based on theatre rather than chain of command;
- All who served in theatre and were not eligible for other medals (such as GCS, GSM, UNSSM, etc) are now eligible for SWASM with AFGHANISTAN bar from
11 Sept 01 to 31 Jul 09; - Eligibility for the SWASM ends 31 Jul 09 with eligibility from 1 Aug 09 transferred to either GCS or GSM;
- Rotation recognition now available with rotation bars awarded for each period of 180 days of SWASM eligible service after qualification for the SWASM with AFGHANISTAN bar; and
- Because rotation bars are denoted by maple leaves on undress ribbons, the silver leaf currently worn to denote the award of the AFGHANISTAN bar shall be replaced by the new silver shield device bearing three maple leaves on one stem.
General Campaign Star (GCS) and General Service Medal (GSM)
- ALLIED FORCE and ISAF bars are abolished and replaced with mission or theatre specific ribbons;
- Rotation recognition now available with rotation bars awarded for each period of 180 days of eligible service after qualification for the GCS or GSM;
- The type of support that can be made eligible for the GSM has been clarified;
- Those who had to give up their GSM to receive the GCS may be able to claim their GSM back provided they did not qualify for both during the same six months period;
- New ribbons are:
- ALLIED FORCE: same criteria, simply remove the bar and remount the medal with new ribbon which replaces the green with Air Force blue;
- SOUTH-WEST ASIA: remove the bar and keep the same ribbon which is now reserved for SWA. Criteria for GCS covers all ISAF service until 31 Jul 09 and all service in theatre (including ships at sea) from 1 Aug 09 onwards unless the service qualifies for another medal (foreign or UN). GSM criteria for support is lowered from 90 to 30 days; and
- EXPEDITION: new ribbon which has light grey instead of green. Created to recognize smaller ops in the presence of an armed enemy. CF members who served with US force in Iraq since 20 Jan 03 are eligible for GCS-EXP.
- Units are responsible to collect ALLIED FORCE and ISAF bars and return them to DH&R which holds stock of the new ribbons.
More details can be found in the related CANFORGENs and on the DH&R web site.
More announcements are expected regarding the new overseas recognition framework, including recognition for Ops SCULPTURE, HALO, AUGURAL, PROTEUS and
HESTIA… stay tuned.
Issued by the Directorate of Honours and Recognition (DH&R) Mar 2010
Telephone 1-877-741-8332
