Special Service Medal - Domestic Operations Bar

[medicineman]

Sooooo, by the time we get them, everyone in the CAF will get one?

No, by that time, they'll be working either on a Jubilee one or a new Coronation gong for when C3 carcs...

 

[Kilted]

View attachment 84053
Some people got coins.

I didn't get one of those (for the CAF, I got it with another organization).

 

[Kilted]

There was a private member’s bill introduced in Parliament on Friday to establish a Special Service Medal for Domestic Emergency Relief Operations. Eligibility would be current or former CAF, RCMP, firefighters, and first responders with at least seven days of qualifying service.

Obviously as a private member’s bill it’s a long shot, but still noteworthy.

Private Member's Bill C-386 (44-1) - First Reading - Special Service Medal for Domestic Emergency Relief Operations Act - Parliament of Canada

Private Member's Bill C-386 (44-1) - First Reading - Special Service Medal for Domestic Emergency Relief Operations Act - Parliament of Canada

www.parl.ca

As long as Op Laser counts.

 

[brihard]

As long as Op Laser counts.

I would expect so, so long as it didn’t become qualifying service for a different medal without me noticing.

 

[Good2Golf]

Sounds like enough for all the GOFOs, colonels and CWOs

…don’t forget the HCols

 

[dimsum]

Gee in the UK every serving member thst had essentially passed basic got one. Us? 4k? Sounds like enough for all the GOFOs, colonels and CWOs

I have never understood the “I was in uniform when X happened” gongs, like the (now no longer issued) US National Defence Service Medal which was issued once you joined if you were there during the qualifying periods.

I guess the public wouldn’t notice and only see X number of medals.

 

[Kilted]

I would expect so, so long as it didn’t become qualifying service for a different medal without me noticing.

Also depends on how far they backdate it. They use the word former military, so I'm guessing that their is the intention to backdate it at least a few years.

 

[Haggis]

Also depends on how far they backdate it. They use the word former military, so I'm guessing that their is the intention to backdate it at least a few years.

All the way back to Oka would work in my favour.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I have never understood the “I was in uniform when X happened” gongs/

Based on past performance, it's so the CO and RSM can award themselves one for being such great leaders

 

[Rifleman62]

How about I survived the Trudeaus' medal. The bar would be for serving under Trudeau senior or vice versa.

 

[Kilted]

How about I survived the Trudeaus' medal. The bar would be for serving under Trudeau senior or vice versa.

I hope his son doesn't go into politics.

 

[PrairieFella]

That UK medal sounds interesting. I always found it odd we don't recognize OP LENTUS especially. It's by far the most dangerous non-SOF deployment we have going on at large in the Army these days. Homie in Poland on his TAV fixing widgets gets a gong but buddy who spent a month humping in the mountains fighting fires and almost getting cut off by a flare-up and shifting flames (a real sketch heli evac was required) gets a thank you letter with a misspelt name on it. At least a bar on the SSM or preferably a new ribbon/gong would be pretty cool.

 

[eliminator]

That UK medal sounds interesting. I always found it odd we don't recognize OP LENTUS especially. It's by far the most dangerous non-SOF deployment we have going on at large in the Army these days. Homie in Poland on his TAV fixing widgets gets a gong but buddy who spent a month humping in the mountains fighting fires and almost getting cut off by a flare-up and shifting flames (a real sketch heli evac was required) gets a thank you letter with a misspelt name on it. At least a bar on the SSM or preferably a new ribbon/gong would be pretty cool.

A 'reactivation' and expansion of the former HUMANITAS bar for the SSM for domestic emergencies would be a easy win.

Special Service Medal HUMANITAS: An aggregate of 30 days of honourable service performed outside Canada from 11 June 1984 to 31 July 2009 in support of any humanitarian operation conducted in response to a disaster or human conflict, set out in the schedule, including rescue, relief, and reconstruction operations

 

[PrairieFella]

A 'reactivation' and expansion of the former HUMANITAS bar for the SSM for domestic emergencies would be a easy win.

Special Service Medal HUMANITAS: An aggregate of 30 days of honourable service performed outside Canada from 11 June 1984 to 31 July 2009 in support of any humanitarian operation conducted in response to a disaster or human conflict, set out in the schedule, including rescue, relief, and reconstruction operations

Just need a little rewrite to remove the outside Canada portion. That'll be 5-7 business years for DHH.

 

[dapaterson]

Just need a little rewrite to remove the outside Canada portion. That'll be 5-7 business years for DHH.

DHH doesn't do medals. DH&R does.

 

[Maxman1]

And maybe make an Expedition ribbon and NATO ribbon to the SSM, so overseas service is recognized by separate awards from domestic service.

Could easily just change the colour of the centre stripe to grey for expedition and blue for NATO.

 

[dimsum]

And maybe make an Expedition ribbon and NATO ribbon to the SSM, so overseas service is recognized by separate awards from domestic service.

Could easily just change the colour of the centre stripe to grey for expedition and blue for NATO.

Which would probably result in needing to re-start the whole process to certify what is an SSM.

Bars are easy bc it’s an addition to the existing medal / ribbon.

 

[PrairieFella]

Which would probably result in needing to re-start the whole process to certify what is an SSM.

Bars are easy bc it’s an addition to the existing medal / ribbon.

Anything is better than nothing and LENTUS deserve something.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Just make a domestic service medal for X days on Op Lentus or Laser or follow on named ops. Stop with the bars on SSMs ect ect.

Its ok to give people medals for their service, its ok to recognize people for their service; and in fact we should celebrate it.

 

[eliminator]

Just make a domestic service medal for X days on Op Lentus or Laser or follow on named ops. Stop with the bars on SSMs ect ect.

Its ok to give people medals for their service, its ok to recognize people for their service; and in fact we should celebrate it.

Agree totally, and supposedly there's been a 'change of perspective' within the CAF top leadership about recognizing this sort of service to Canadians (....contrary to the traditional understanding that dom ops are recognized by the Canadian Forces' Decoration).

It's only a matter of time before something gets created. A totally new medal would be ideal, but I'm a realist so expect that the path of least resistance (i.e. work) will be chosen. Modifying the OSM-HUM and/or SSM-HUM would be an 'easy' answer because they are already on the table. The criteria for medals gets expanded and modified quite regularly.