Annex I – War and Operational Service Medals (OSMs)

Policy

1. Notes and regulations for war and Operational Service Medals (OSMs) are included in this manual for up to forty years after the end of the conflict or mission for which they are issued.
2. Medals may therefore be removed from this manual forty years after their final qualifying date, when recipients are no longer actively serving in the CF. However, these medals and their regulations remain valid for those individuals so entitled. Individuals may obtain information on medals no longer listed from NDHQ/DH&R.
3. Information for Reserve Force Supplementary List, retired, or honorary members on medals no longer listed in this manual can be obtained from NDHQ/DH&R. Refer also to Chapter 7, Annex A, which includes precedence information on 20^th century honours.
4. Up to and including the Second World War, all war medals were issued as part of the British honours system, although the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and its later Newfoundland equivalent were specific to citizens of the countries concerned. Canada issued its own medal for the UN Operations - Korea (1950-1953), though paralleling the regulations for its British equivalent, issued to other members of the Commonwealth. Since then, Canada has created its own campaign and service medals as required by its operational involvement.
5. Modern operational service is recognized based on the nature of the operation as follows:
   1. Operations in the presence of an armed enemy (involving combat):
      1. General Campaign Star (GCS) (for those in theatre).
      2. General Service Medal (for those in direct support provided there is a level of risk, threat, hardship or operational intensity).
   2. Operations in a theatre of operation involving risk, threat, hardship or operational intensity but not in combat with an enemy (including peacekeeping, peace enforcement, anti-piracy, anti-terrorism and counter-narcotic operations):
      1. UN,  NATO or international medals.
      2. OSM.
      3. Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (CPSM), where applicable.
   3. Overseas operations or overseas operational support where there may not necessarily be risk, threat, hardship or operational intensity but where the service is performed under exceptional circumstances:
      1. Special Service Medal (SSM).
6. Normal duty either overseas or in Canada is not recognized through service medals. Service in Canadian embassies; in exchange and liaison positions; in UN, NORAD or other international organizations headquarters; staff, administrative and logistical support provided from relatively secure countries; training and exercises; domestic operations and aid to civil power are not recognized through the award of campaign and service medals (refer also to Chapter 1).

Top of page

Administration

7. Application for initial issue of a medal should be submitted in accordance with Chapter 4.
8. Applications for the replacement of medals should be submitted in accordance with Chapter 5.
9. Application shall be submitted by or through the applicant’s current CO and the normal chain of command.
10. Retired personnel may write directly to DH&R.
11. Medals shall be sent directly from DH&R to the applying unit, or, for retired persons, directly to the individuals concerned.
12. The granting and issuing of medals and bars shall be formally recorded on a member’s file MPRR in accordance with Chapter 1.
13. Doubtful entitlement cases are to be addressed through the normal chain of command.

Top of page