Mishall RehmanScores of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members will now be eligible for service medals following a recent announcement by Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre that additions and amendments are being made to which services qualify for a service medal.
The operations impacted by these amendments range from maritime operations to special NATO operations conducted in Europe.
Various Medals Impacted
According to the announcement released in October, the CDS, in consultation with the Air Force Commander, has “approved aircrew flying on surveillance platforms under the Command and control of Joint Interagency Task Force South” to be eligible for the operational service medal OXM-EXP. This aircrew flew in the airspace above the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the West Coast of Central and South America in support of Operation Caribbe since Oct. 2001.
The CDS also approved an amendment to the following elements to the special service medal – Expedition (SSM-EXP) eligibility list:
- Service of members of the Defence Team deployed to Ukraine and various locations in Europe or onboard HMC Ships and Allied Vessels as part or in direct support of Op Unifier, Since 13 Jun 15.
- Note that eligibility for locations outside Ukraine (including but not limited to Germany, Latvia, Poland and the United Kingdom) and aboard ships begins on 13 Jan 22 Service of members of the Defence Team deployed to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, United States of America, Under Op Foundation, Since 26 Mar 21.
This includes but is not limited to the following:
- (1) Canadian Detachment, United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) Control and Reporting Center (CRC) in Direct Support to Op Foundation (Kingpin), Since 26 Mar 21
- (2) 609th Air Operation Center (AOC), Since 29 Sep 21.
Additionally, the wording to the eligibility of the medal, SSM-EXP, in support of Op Carribe has also been amended to say, “Ground crew in support of surveillance platforms in Compala, El Salvador, Curacao and Martinique.”
NATO Medal SSM-NATO
The CDS, in consultation with the AFC, has also approved an amendment to the following elements to the special service medal NATO SSM-NATO.
This amendment affects “Service of members of the Defence team deployed to various locations in Europe and Iceland as part or in direct support of OP Reassurance as a result of the Russian intervention in Ukraine, since 29 Apr 14.”
Included under this amendment are the following:
- (1) Op Reassurance positions in countries such as but not limited to: Germany, Uk, Italy, Latvia and Poland
- (2) Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) Operations in Latvia, Since 26 Aug 16. This includes service with the EFP Battlegroup as well as service while deployed or posted to Latvia to Support the EFP, including, for example, service with the Latvian Brigade, Adazi, Latvia
- (3) Air Task Force (ATF)
- (4) Land Task Force (Ltf), From 29 Apr 14 to 15 Sep 17. Only time spent in Hohenfels, Germany, Cincu, Romania, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia Qualify
- (5) Liaison Officers and Counter-intelligence Personnel Positions in direct support of Op Reassurance in various locations .
Service of members of the Defence Team onboard HMC Ships and Allied Vessels in the North Atlantic Region, Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas Under Nato SNMG2 and SNMCMG1 and 2, in direct support of Op Reassurance, Since 29 Apr 14.
Service of members of the Defence Team deployed to Forward Logistics Sites (Fls) in direct support of HMC Ships and Allied Vessels in the North Atlantic Region, Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas Under Nato SNMG2 and SNMCMG1 and 2, in direct support of Op Reassurance, Since 29 Apr 14.
Medal Additions
According to the CANFORGEN, the CDS, in consultation with the AFC, approved additions to the eligibility lists for certain service medals as follows:
Special Service Medal – Nato (SSM-NATO)
- (1) Service of members of the Defence Team deployed to Camp Bechtel, Kosovo, to participate in Op Aegis (Nato Op Allied Solace), From 3 Oct 21 to 31 Mar 22 . Special Service Medal – Expedition (SSM-EXP)
- (1) Service of members of the Defence Team deployed with the Military Assistance Team (MAT) – Ukraine to Germany, Poland and Ukraine, in direct support of Op Globe, Since 9 Jan 22
- (2) Service of members of the Defence Team deployed with the Long Range Patrol Aircraft (LRPA) Detachment to various locations (Including but not limited to the Republic of Seychelles and the United Arab Emirates) in direct support of Op Artemis, Since 9 Mar 19. Note that LRPA Air and ground crew time spent on the ground credit those days for the SSM-EXP. Aircrew Flying Into the defined theatre of operations for Op Artemis credit those days for the OSM-EXP and shall not count those days for the SSM-EXP
- (3) Service of members of the Defence Team deployed to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or Poland With US Units as Part of Op Atlantic Resolve, Since 18 Jan 17 .
