New DISTANTIA Bar to Special Service Medal Introduced

To reflect the ever-changing capabilities of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), the military has created a DISTANTIA Bar to the Special Service Medal.

The new DISTANTIA Bar was created with the approval of the Governor General of Canada.

“The new DISTANTIA Bar reflects the evolving nature of technology, warfare and CAF capabilities. It will provide tangible recognition to those who directly contribute to mission success in overseas Ops by having a direct impact in deployed theatres through the use of remote technology from Canada or other locations,” stated CANFORGEN 180/24.

CAF members must apply for this bar online. The DISTANTIA Bar will be available for presentation once it has been manufactured and applications have been validated, states the CANFORGEN.

Who qualifies?

Those looking to apply for the DISTANTIA Bar must meet certain criteria of service. According to the CANFORGEN, the applicant must:

“Have either 180 consecutive days or an aggregate of 270 days, 60 of which are consecutive, of honourable service beginning on or after Nov. 5, 2024, performed either in Canada or outside of Canada other than a theatre of operations, for the specific purpose of remotely participating, or a full-time basis, in approved operations through either the personal use of weapons systems or the delivery of targeted effects, which use or delivery is enabled by technology and has a tangible effect, or the potential for such an effect, in the theatre of operations.”

The service cannot count towards any other Canadian or foreign service medal.

Proximity to Action

The military has strictly designated this new DISTANTIA Bar to be awarded to those individuals who have “proximity to the actual action through technical means, that either results in or has the potential to affect an actual strike against a target.”

Additionally, a qualifying solider can be part of the action that defends friendly assets in theatre.

According to the CANFORGEN, a person who is put under tactical command or officially declared to an operation is a good indicator of eligibility, but not always strictly so.

However, those individuals not operating the systems or delivering targeted effects, such as supervisors or other military members who provide information or briefings, are not part of the eligible list of individuals who can receive the Distantia Bar.

Others who are specifically not eligible, according to the CANFORGEN, are those with: “Any service in such roles directed towards the defence of Canada or its assets, domestic operations, normal domestic and overseas monitoring, surveillance and intervention, general support to OGDS, Allies and overseas operations, etc. is not eligible.”

Approved Eligible Roles

With consultations with the AFC and on the recommendation of the CF Honours Policy Committee, the Chief of the Defence Staff has approved the following initial eligible roles and operations to qualify for the DISTANTIA Bar.

The list is as follows, according to CANFORGEN 180/24:

To learn more about the DISTANTIA Bar visit here.