Appendix 1 – Regulations for the Establishment of the Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)

(Reprint of Order in Council PC 1981-2310 of 19 Aug 1981)

The CD may be awarded to officers and men of the Canadian Forces (CF) who, in an approved capacity, have completed a period of twelve years’ service in accordance with the regulations set out below:

Designation

1. The decoration shall be designated “The Canadian Forces’ Decoration”.

Description

2. The decoration shall be gilt in colour and in the form of a decagon, each of the ten sides being representative of a province of Canada. It shall bear on the obverse the uncrowned effigy of the Sovereign encircled by the Canadian Royal Title with the word “CANADA” on the lowest side. On the reverse shall appear a crown, maple leaves and an eagle representative of the navy, army and air force respectively. The name of the recipient will be engraved around the edge of the decoration.

Ribbon

3. The decoration shall be worn on the left breast pendant from a ribbon one and one-half inches in width. The ribbon shall be of the colour gules (red) broken into equal divisions by three narrow vertical stripes of the colour argent (white).

Miniature

4. Reproduction in miniature, which may be worn on certain occasions by those on whom this award is conferred, shall be of a standard size as for all other miniatures.

Eligibility

5. All officers and men of the CF shall be eligible for the CD provided they have completed the required period of service, have undertaken all required phases of training and duty, and are certified by the responsible service authorities as efficient and in every way deserving of the award.

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Service required - Regular Forces of Canada

6. 1. Twelve years’ full-time paid service in the navy, army or air forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations if:
      
      1. the individual was serving on or after 1 October, 1946, in a component of the CF referred to in the National Defence Act(NDA) as the Regular Forces;
      2. five years of service were with a component of the CF; and
      3. no other long service, good conduct or efficiency medal has been awarded for the same service.
   2. Service in the reserve or auxiliary forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations shall count provided such service has not been recognized by any other long service, good conduct, or efficiency medal; and
   3. Personnel who were serving in the Permanent or Regular Forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations on or prior to 1 September, 1939, may, if they so desire, count subsequent service for the award of The Canadian Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military), The Royal Canadian Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal or The Royal Canadian Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal under existing regulations for these awards.

Service required - Reserve Forces of Canada

7. 1. To qualify for the CD, an individual must have completed twelve years’ qualifying service. Qualifying service means service in an active capacity, in the Reserve Forces of Canada or as an officer in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets on or after 1 January, 1946.
   2. Personnel who were serving in the Reserve or Auxiliary Forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations prior to 1 September, 1939, may, if they so desire, count subsequent service for the award of The Canadian Efficiency Decoration (ED), The Canadian Efficiency Medal, The Volunteer Officers’ Decoration, The Royal Canadian Navy (Reserve) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and The Air Efficiency Award under existing regulations for these awards.
   3. Service in other Auxiliary and Reserve Forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations shall count provided the last five years of service were with the Reserve Forces of Canada and no other long service, good conduct, or efficiency medal has been awarded for the same service.
   4. Service in the Regular Forces shall count, provided that such service has not been recognized by the award of any regular force long service, good conduct, or ED or medal.

General conditions

8. 1. Any person already in possession of any long service, good conduct or ED or medal or clasps, shall be eligible to receive the CD, and to wear both, provided he has completed the full periods of qualifying service for each award and that no qualifying service towards one award is permitted to count towards the other.
   2. War service shall count as single qualifying service.
   3. Service to qualify for the award need not be continuous.

Clasps

9. Clasps shall be awarded for every subsequent period of ten years’ qualifying service. A silver rosette shall be worn on the ribbon to denote the award of a clasp.

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Order of precedence and use of initials “CD”

10. 1. The CD shall take precedence immediately after any awards previously instituted for long service, good conduct or efficiency.
    2. Personnel of whatever rank awarded the decoration shall be entitled to the initial “CD” after their name.

Effective date

11. These regulations shall become effective 1 July 1950.

Forfeiture and restoration

12. Forfeiture and restoration of this decoration shall be as prescribed in The QR&O for the RCN, CA, and RCAF.

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Further directions

13. The award will be conferred under such directions as to grant, forfeiture, restoration and other matters in amplification of these regulations as may be given from time to time by the Minister of National Defence