Annex R – United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and other international service Medals

Introduction

  1. The UN, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and other international organizations, commissions, forces and missions have authorized the creation of various medals from time to time to recognize service carried out on their behalf.
  2. The Canadian Government has approved the acceptance and wear of certain such medals. Acceptance of foreign medals (such as UN and NATO) into the Canadian order of precedence by the GC is described in Chapter 1, paragraph 8.
  3. In 2008, the GC decided that henceforth UN and NATO Medals would be the only international organization medals to be accepted and added into the Canadian Order of Precedence (this decision relates to service medals only).
  4. Lists of approved medals are contained in Annex R, Appendices 1 (UN), 2 (NATO) and 3 (other international missions and forces).

Qualifying dates

  1. Canada adheres to the regulations and criteria governing eligibility as established by the UN, NATO, or other international body (Annex R, Appendices 1, 2 and 3).
  2. The UN and NATO also impose time limits for requests for initial issue of their medals (Annex R, Appendices 1 and 2).

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Eligible personnel

  1. Medals will be awarded to Canadian Forces (CF) members who:
    1. have been formally posted to the strength of one of the international forces or formations listed in Annex R, Appendices 1 to 3; and
    2. have the required qualifying service.
  2. All eligibility cases that cannot be resolved in theatre and do not clearly meet the criteria set out in this order shall be referred through the normal chain of command to NDHQ/DH&R. The latter will liaise as necessary with the headquarters of the international body concerned.
  3. Normally, the medals will be issued by:
    1. the force commander or the senior Canadian officer to qualified members serving with the force or formation concerned; and
    2. NDHQ/DH&R in all other cases.
  4. Every effort shall be made to invest qualified individuals (see Chapter 4, paragraphs 106 to 114) with medals and numerals in theatre, where stocks are held, and to document the presentation. Individuals who will not meet qualifying criteria should be so advised in theatre, and the reasons documented on file. If circumstances merit unique consideration under the special case provisions of UN or other regulations, this information should be presented to the force commander in a timely manner and the ruling documented on file. It is important that special cases be resolved in theatre if at all possible, where facts are readily ascertained and the force commander has authority  to rule on the cases.
  5. UN, NATO and other international medals must first be accepted by the GC and be brought into the Canadian order of precedence (refer to Chapter 7, Annex A) before they may be worn by eligible Canadians.

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Wearing

  1. Medals and ribbons shall be worn in the sequence prescribed in Section 7, Annex A.

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