Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction 03/03 – Awarding and Recording of Wound Stripes

1. Identification

Date of Issue: 2003-04-11

Date of Modification: 2024-12-01

Application: This instruction applies to officers and non-commissioned members (NCMs) of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)

Approval Authority: Chief Military Personnel (CMP)

Enquiries: Administrative Response Centre (ARC)

2. Introduction

2.1 Following the precedent set in the First and Second World Wars, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) award 'wound stripes' to battlefield casualties, a dress distinction that recognizes a physical or mental injury received as a result of armed conflict. One narrow gold braid stripe will be worn in respect of each occasion an individual is wounded - but not for each separate injury.

2.2 This distinction is not to be regarded in a reward.

3. Policy and Procedures

Eligibility

3.1 All ranks of the CAF, along with members of foreign military forces on exchange duties with the CAF, as well as Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency and contract employees, will be eligible for this distinction.

3.2 A wound stripe recognizes injury directly attributable to hostile action received in honorable circumstances in an operational area and requiring medical treatment beyond local first aid. Individuals who are injured in accidents in a special duty area or while employed on domestic provision of service operations or training exercises do not qualify for a wound stripe. Wound stripes are not issued posthumously.

Awarding Authority

3.3 The authority to wear a wound stripe is granted by the casualty's unit Commanding Officer (CO). The CO shall verify eligibility, referring doubtful cases directly, by message, to National Defence Headquarters, attention: Director Casualty Support and Administration (NDHQ/DCSA).

Claims and Entitlements

3.4 All CAF members who consider that they are entitled to a wound stripe may initiate a claim to their CO. Paragraph 3.8 of this instruction outlines a list of wounds or injuries that would qualify personnel for an entitlement to a wound stripe.

Promulgation and Recording

3.5 The award of a wound stripe will be published in unit routine orders. The CO will ensure that the circumstances of the award are recorded on the individual's personal file and personal record resume. The CO will also notify the individual's career manager of the award, by message. Instructions on how this procedure is to be conducted are contained in A-PM-245-001/FP-001, Military Human Resources Records Procedures, Chapter 10 (Unit Personnel Records).

Presentation

3.6 On verification of eligibility, and as soon as practicable after the injury has been incurred, the casualty's CO, or representative, will formally present the wound stripe to the member. Based on the discretion of the member, the presentation may be done in public or in private. A DND 5266 (01-03) 'Certificate of the Award of Wound Stripe' will also be awarded and given to the individual. The NATO Stock Number (NSN) for the Wound Stripe Certificate is 7530-20-000-6922.

Display

3.7 Wound stripes will be worn on CAF uniforms in accordance with A-AD-265-000/AG-001, Canadian Forces Dress Instructions. Personnel, who by reason of their service have become entitled to wear a wound stripe, may, at their own option, continue to wear them on civilian clothes after cessation of military service.

Qualification for Wound Stripes

3.8 Wounds or injuries requiring medical treatment beyond local first aid (i.e., treatment at a medical facility of more than five (5) days duration, not necessarily consecutive) that are due to hostile actions and would be a qualification for a wound stripe include, but are not limited to:

1. Injuries due to blast;
2. Injuries due to rescue work in bombed buildings or defences;
3. Injuries due to collision of a vessel or a vehicle with a mine;
4. Injuries sustained by aircrew or passengers as a result of an aircraft crash, or aircraft damage, or fire in an aircraft, provided that these are due to hostile actions or take place during an operational sortie. Injuries sustained by eligible personnel who rescue, or attempt to rescue, aircrew and passengers in such circumstances would qualify for the wound stripe;
5. Injuries due to mine or bomb disposal duties;
6. Injuries due to terrorist attack (attempted assassinations, car bombs, etc.) by hostile forces when Canadian military forces are the targets. Incidents such as these do not necessarily need to take place in an operational area;
7. Wounds or injuries inflicted by our own, allied or coalition forces' projectiles (or parts of them) when these have been fired at real or perceived hostile forces;
8. Injuries that require not less than one week's treatment in hospital (or equivalent) as a consequence of:
   1. exposure at sea in open boats and life rafts directly due to hostile action;
   2. exposure in the air following attacks on aircraft by hostile forces;
   3. inadequate or harsh treatment by hostile forces as a result of being captured or detained; or
   4. the employment of nuclear, biological or chemical agents by hostile forces.
9. Operational stress injuries may qualify for a wound stripe if treatment of not less than one week in hospital (or equivalent) is the direct result of a traumatic incident caused by hostile forces in a combat zone.

3.9 Injuries, although not directly due to hostile force actions, if sustained in the combat zone by personnel in direct contact with a hostile force, would also qualify for a wound stripe. For example, injuries sustained because of a vehicle accident directly attributable to terrain that needed to be followed due to the tactical situation would qualify for the wound stripe if they required medical treatment beyond local first aid.

3.10 Injuries due to accidents arising out of employment in an operational area, but not directly due to hostile action, e.g. due to collisions between ships at sea, vehicle accidents, flying accidents, handling of lethal weapons, gun explosions, etc., do not qualify for the wound stripe.

3.11 Self-inflicted injuries do not qualify for the ribbon of the injured.

4. References

Acts, Regulations, Central Agency Policies and Associated DAOD

• N/A

Other References

• A-DH-265-000/AG-001, Canadian Forces Dress Instructions
• A-PM-245-001/FP-001, Military Human Resources Records Procedures, Chapter 10 (Unit Personnel Records) (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• DND 5266, Wound Stripe Certificate (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)