Mishall RehmanThe Canadian military recently announced additions to the eligibility lists for certain service medals.
The additions were approved by the Chief of the Defence Staff in consultation with the Armed Forces Council (AFC).
The medals that have seen updates include:
- Operation Service Medal-Haiti,
- Operational Service Medal-Expedition,
- Special Service Medal-NATO and
- Special Service Medal-Expedition.
Full criteria and complete eligibility lists are available on the Directorate of Honours and Recognition (DH and R) website.
Operational Service Medal – Haiti (OSM-H)
According to new regulations, individuals deployed to Haiti in direct support of Operation Helios since June 22, 2023, can qualify for the OSM-H.
The CANFORGEN lists eligible people as the following:
- Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members,
- police officers and
- public servants.
Individuals only qualify if they’ve had time on the ground, airspace, or territorial waters of waters of Haiti.
“Aircrew flying in Haiti’s airspace accumulate one day of service for the first sortie flown on any day, additional sorties flown on the same day receive no further credit for the OSM-H,” states the CANFORGEN.
Those deployed to the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica or another area under Operation HELIOS qualify for different medals.
Additionally, other individuals who qualify for OSM-H are those who were deployed to the Caribbean country in support of Operation Globe 24-04 since March 21, 2024.
To qualify for this medal, CAF members must have been deployed to Haiti, including its airspace and territorial waters, including with, but not limited to, the joint task force headquarters, joint task force support component, land task force and air task force. Only time on the ground, airspace, or territorial waters qualifies.
Individuals who served under Operation Globe in other countries qualify for different service medals.
Operational Service Medal – Expedition (OSM-EXP)
This service medal will be awarded to those CAF members, police officers, and public servants deployed to the Dominican Republic in support of Operation Helios since June 22, 2023.
Individuals can qualify for this medal if they were deployed to the Dominican Republic “including its airspace and territorial waters including with, but not limited to, the International Security Assistance Coordination Group (ISACG), Canadian Assistance Training Team (CTAT), Forward Deployed Headquarters, Air Task Force (ATF) and Maritime Task Force (MTF) components.”
Additional personnel that can qualify for OSM-EXP are those deployed to the Dominican Republic in direct support of Operation Globe 2404 since March 21, 2024.
Qualifying individuals, according to the CANFORGEN, can be those deployed on “the Military Assistance Team, Operational Recce Liaison Team, Joint Task Force Headquarters, Joint Task Force Support Component, Land Task Force and Air Task Force.”
Aircrew must remember that “flying in Dominican Republic’s airspace accumulate one day of service for the first sortie flown on any day, additional sorties flown on the same day receive no further credit for the OSM-EXP.”
Service in other Latin American countries as part of Operation Globe or Operation Helios qualify for other medals.
Special Service Medal – NATO (SSM-NATO)
The CANFORGEN states that those service members of the Defence team deployed to Romania and other NATO countries in support of Operation Orion since June 1, 2019, qualify for the SSM-NATO. The countries include:
- Poland,
- Slovakia,
- Hungary,
- Germany,
- Italy, and
- Moldova.
The medal is issued only with a bar representing the particular special service.
Special Service Medal – Expedition (SSM-EXP)
Service members deployed to the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica or Latin American and Caribbean countries in support of Operation Helios since June 22, 2023, qualify for the SSM-EXP. These include individuals who were part of the following:
- Canadian Assistance Training Team (CTAT),
- Operational Support Hub (OSH),
- Air Task Force (ATF) and
- Maritime Task Force (MTF) components.
Additionally, those individuals deployed to the above countries under Operation Globe 24-4 since March 21, 2024, also qualify for the SSM-EXP. The medal is issued only with a bar representing the particular special service.
Read more about the Operation Service Medal- Haiti here, Operational Service Medal-Expedition here, Special Service Medal-NATO and Special Service Medal Expedition here.
