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Afghan Medals Process (merged)

http://hr.ottawa-hull.mil.ca/dhr-ddhr/chart/eng/chart_display_e.asp?cat=3&ref=GCS

Info on the GCS and how many days you need to get rotation bars, etc.

210 days in theatre for your first rotation bar, I'm 6 days short of extra bling  :p  Kinda weird IMO that pers who were on the same tour but might have been there a few days longer get the bar. Would have thought a second roto would have gotten it.
 
I think that this is a good thing, and I think that most of the arguments on this thread have had nothing to do with the changes but with other issues.

A guy who served on ATHENA Roto 0, TF 3-06 and TF 1-10 will get some form of recognition for his multiple tours which he wouldn't have had before.  A guy who was on APOLLO, TF 1-06 and then TF 3-08 will also get each tour recognized with something.  This is a good thing.

The medal mounting folks will be happy.  I imagine that Adjutants and Chief Clerks will be busy as well, but its all for a good cause!
 
All,

I certainly apologize if I have offended any of you, as that was not my intent whatsoever. 

Here is the crux of the matter and where I see the conflict of this discussion:

The criteria used to be SWASM = OEF, and GCS = ISAF.  Everyone understood what both medals meant, whether you got one or the other or got both in four months (fall 05).

So far we're good to go; never did I personally feel that one medal was higher or lower than the other.

However, now what we have is a regulation coming out that (to paraphrase) states everyone going over there will get the GCS (or GSM), but if you don't meet all the criteria you will get a SWASM.

If any of the side topics went off the rails then I am sorry for my part in that, but in looking at the above all I have been discussing is what may get done now.

Some have put words in my mouth to say that one was better than the other, when all I have done was state that since the new regs themselves place the GCS as higher up (nothing to do with the precedence of wearing them) than the SWASM, is that fair to the people who under the new regs would have gotten the GCS for their tour.

I don't really see what the sticking point is beyond that, and no I won't take it back that due to these new regs there are 1,000+ who will be under-awarded because it's fact.  I haven't said that anyone who has the SWASM will get depression, for pete's sake.

So, let us bring this back on track and answer the core question.  Now that the new regs exist and it is not as simple as OEF or ISAF anymore, what do you think will/should happen?
 
Go back and read the new regulations again.  There is no more SWASM.  The last one of them has now been awarded effective last summer.  Award of it finished 31 Jul 09 and from that point everybody in theatre regardless of the command relationship gets the GCS-SWA.  The changes noted in the SWASM regulations cover the period from 1 Sep 01 to 31 Jul 09 ONLY and were designed to make sure that nobody ended up getting left out (and that is the reason for the ref to MSGs).  There just is nothing more to say on this. Pro Patria.
 
This just in.

CANFORGEN 066/10 CMP 030/10 171715Z MAR 10
NEW OVERSEAS RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK
UNCLASSIFIED


REF: CANFORGEN 166/07 CMP 071/07 161430Z NOV 07
BILINGUAL MESSAGE/MESSAGE BILINGUE



IN RECENT YEARS, SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE FRAMEWORK TO HONOUR AND RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE OF CF PERSONNEL. THESE CHANGES ARE THE FOLLOWING:


THE MODERNIZATION OF THE MEMORIAL CROSS AND THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE MEMORIAL SCROLL AND MEMORIAL BAR


THE SIMPLIFICATION OF THE NOMINATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS FOR INDIVIDUAL HONOURS WHICH HAS RESULTED IN MORE TIMELY RECOGNITION


THE CREATION OF NEW MEDALS SUCH AS THE SOUTH-WEST ASIA SERVICE MEDAL (SWASM), THE GENERAL CAMPAIGN STAR (GCS), AND THE GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL (GSM) TO RECOGNIZE SERVICE PERFORMED AS PART OF THE ONGOING CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM


THE CREATION OF THE SACRIFICE MEDAL TO HONOUR PERSONNEL WOUNDED IN ACTION IN THE SERVICE OF CANADA AND TO RECOGNIZE ALL SERVICE-RELATED DEATHS


IN ADDITION TO THESE NEW INITIATIVES, A MAJOR REVIEW WAS UNDERTAKEN TO SIMPLIFY AND STANDARDIZE OVERSEAS SERVICE RECOGNITION FOR CF MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE TEAM. IN CONDUCTING THIS REVIEW, TIME WAS TAKEN TO SAFEGUARD THE INTEGRITY OF THE CANADIAN HONOURS SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSSOCIATED MEDALS. SPECIFIC FEEDBACK RECEIVED BY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND FROM SAILORS, SOLDIERS, AIR MEN AND WOMEN, INDICATED THAT THERE WERE GAPS IN THE RECOGNITION SYSTEM FOR OVERSEAS SERVICE


THE GOVERNMENT HONOURS POLICY COMMITTEE ACCEPTED RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THIS PROCESS, AND I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA HAS APPROVED A NEW OVERSEAS RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK. THIS FRAMEWORK REPRESENTS A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN HOW PERSONNEL WILL BE RECOGNIZED AND CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING GENERAL PRINCIPLES:


RECOGNITION WILL NOW BE THEATRE BASED RATHER THAN MISSION SPECIFIC. THIS MEANS THAT ALL SERVICE IN A DESIGNATED THEATRE WHICH IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY ANOTHER MEDAL (SUCH AS UN OR NATO) WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR RECOGNITION


OVERSEAS SERVICE WILL NOW BE RECOGNIZED WITH A DISTINCT RIBBON FOR EACH SEPARATE THEATRE ON THE GCS AND GSM RATHER THAN WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF BARS INDICATING MISSIONS (SUCH AS QUOTE ALLIED FORCE UNQUOTE AND QUOTE ISAF UNQUOTE). THIS APPROACH IS SIMILAR TO THE UN SYSTEM WHICH UTILIZES A GENERIC MEDAL WITH VARIOUS DISTINTIVE RIBBONS. THIS MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE A RE-ALIGNMENT AND CHANGES IN THE CURRENT RIBBONS AND INSIGNIA UTILIZED WITH THE SWASM, GCS AND GSM. THE CHANGES WILL REFLECT A QUOTE ONE-MEDAL DIFFERENT-RIBBON UNQUOTE APPROACH


THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF DAYS REQUIRED FOR SOMEONE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SWASM, GCS, AND GSM HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A COMMON 30 DAYS, APPLICABLE TO BOTH MILITARY PERSONNEL AND CIVILIAN MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE TEAM


MULTIPLE TOURS TO THE SAME THEATRE WILL BE RECOGNIZED. RECIPIENTS OF THE SWASM WITH AFGHANISTAN BAR, THE GCS AND THE GSM MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR NEW MULTIPLE ROTATION RECOGNITION IN THE FORM OF ROTATION BARS. ROTATION BARS WILL BE AWARDED FOR EACH ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF 180 DAYS OF ELIGIBLE SERVICE FOLLOWING MEDAL QUALIFICATION. THIS MEANS THAT AFTER 30 DAYS SERVICE, AN INDIVIDUAL WILL HAVED EARNED A MEDAL (SWASM WITH AFGHANISTAN BAR, GCS OR GSM) WITH THE FIRST ROTATION BAR AWARDED AFTER 210 DAYS IN THEATRE, THE SECOND BAR AFTER 390 DAYS, AND SO ON. ALL THEATRE TIME IS CUMULATIVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ROTATION BAR ELIGIBILITY


THIS IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF CANFORGENS DESCRIBING THE NEW OVERSEAS RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK. SUBSEQUENT CANFORGENS WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS TO THE SWASM, THE GSC, AND THE GSM


THE CF AND THE GOVT OF CANADA ARE COMMITTED TO HONOURING AND RECOGNIZING THE VALUED CONTRIBUTION OF SAILORS, SOLDIERS, AIR MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CF. MORE IMPROVEMENTS TO OVERSEAS RECOGNITION ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING RECOGNITION OF OPS SCULPTURE, HALO, AUGURAL, PROTEUS AND HESTIA WILL BE FORTHCOMING


FURTHER INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND ON THE DH R WEB SITE AT HTTP://HR.OTTAWA-HULL.MIL.CA/DHR-DDHR/ENG/HOME(UNDERSCORE)E.ASP


SIGNED BY MGEN W. SEMIANIW, CMP
 
Ummm, yes.

Thank you for posting that but that's what started this discussion several pages ago (around the date 17 Mar 10).
 
MULTIPLE TOURS TO THE SAME THEATRE WILL BE RECOGNIZED. RECIPIENTS OF THE SWASM WITH AFGHANISTAN BAR, THE GCS AND THE GSM MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR NEW MULTIPLE ROTATION RECOGNITION IN THE FORM OF ROTATION BARS. ROTATION BARS WILL BE AWARDED FOR EACH ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF 180 DAYS OF ELIGIBLE SERVICE FOLLOWING MEDAL QUALIFICATION. THIS MEANS THAT AFTER 30 DAYS SERVICE, AN INDIVIDUAL WILL HAVED EARNED A MEDAL (SWASM WITH AFGHANISTAN BAR, GCS OR GSM) WITH THE FIRST ROTATION BAR AWARDED AFTER 210 DAYS IN THEATRE, THE SECOND BAR AFTER 390 DAYS, AND SO ON. ALL THEATRE TIME IS CUMULATIVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ROTATION BAR ELIGIBILITY

Does this mean a person on a nine month rotation, gets a rotation bar after 210 days? Just asking. No argument.
 
Rifleman62,

Yes, but not only a 9 month but 7 month tours as well (depending on the specific RIP dates).

I wish that there were some sort of disclaimer on this stating "seven month tours are not in the scope of this, as the intent is to recognize multiple tours.

For example, my MPRR has 217 days showing for my one seven-month tour to Afghanistan, so the rule of the law says I get it. 

I agree that they have to draw a line in the sane somewhere, but here are the two non-ideal parts:

1. Two guys can be fireteam partners for the same tour, but due to slightly different RIP dates one gets 209 days and the other 211. 
2. One guy goes on a seven month tour (217 days, for ex), and another guy went on two 6-month tours.

In the first case, even though the troops went on essentially the exact same tour, one appear to have gone on two tours.  In the second, it would appear that someone who went on one tour deployed the same as someone who went on two tours.

The problem is that a lot of people were on this seven month bubble for one tour, so this is going to be the rule more than the exception.

The reason this happened is that the RIP dates used to be winter-summer, but then 07-10 each tour was made a bit longer to eventually have the RIP dates shifted to spring-fall.

Long winded answer to your question, but yes 210 days = bar no matter what the cirsumstances.
 
Petamocto said:
Ummm, yes.

Thank you for posting that but that's what started this discussion several pages ago (around the date 17 Mar 10).

Opps busy day here and brain fart on the dates.  I only re-read the last canforgen posted and had it stuck in my mind that it was dated 24 Mar ( yet I now clearly see it is the 17, I either need glasses or slow down multi tasking)  My bad
 
Thanks for the answer. My son in law's tour was nine months. He is now serving out of Canada, with a different element and might not know of this.
 
This just in:

UNCLAS CANFORGEN 072/10 CMP 033/10
SIC WAK
SECTION 1 OF 2
SUBJ: GCS AND GSM - QUALIFYING SERVICE AMENDMENTS
REFS. A. CANFORGEN 092/04 ADMHRMIL 050 071956Z JUL 04
B. CANFORGEN 093/04 ADMHRMIL 051 071654Z JUL 04
C. CANFORGEN 094/04 ADMHRMIL 052 071711Z JUL 04
D. CANFORGEN 066/10 CMP 030/10 171715Z MAR 10
E. PC 2010-079 OF 14 JAN 2010
F. PC 2010-248 OF 10 MAR 2010
G. PC 2010-249 OF 10 MAR 2010
H. PC 2010-250 OF 10 MAR 2010
J. PC 2010-251 OF 10 MAR 2010
K. PC 2010-252 OF 10 MAR 2010
L. PC 2010-253 OF 10 MAR 2010
BILINGUAL MESSAGE / MESSAGE BILINGUE


1. FURTHER TO THE CANFORGEN AT REF D WHICH ANNOUNCED THE NEW OVERSEAS RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK, THIS CANFORGEN DESCRIBES CHANGES TO THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE GENERAL CAMPAIGN STAR AND GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL (GCS AND GSM) AWARDS. SPECIFIC CHANGES INCLUDE:

A. THE EXISTING ALLIED FORCE AND ISAF BARS ARE ABOLISHED AND ARE REPLACED WITH MISSION OR THEATRE SPECIFIC RIBBONS AS FOLLOWS:

(1) ALLIED FORCE RIBBONS TO THE GCS AND GSM. CRITERIA SHALL REMAIN AS OUTLINED AT REF B, BUT ALL RECIPIENTS ARE TO REMOVE THE ALLIED
FORCE BAR AND HAVE THEIR MEDALS REMOUNTED WITH THE NEW ALLIED FORCE RIBBONS WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING GCS AND GSM RIBBONS, BUT
WITH THE GREEN BEING REPLACED BY LIGHT BLUE
(2) SOUTH-WEST ASIA RIBBONS TO THE GCS AND GSM REPLACE THE ISAF BARS AND CRITERIA HAVE BEEN AMENDED ACCORDINGLY. MORE DETAILS WILL BE
OUTLINED IN A SEPARATE CANFORGEN. THE ISAF BARS ARE TO BE REMOVED AND THE MEDALS REMOUNTED WITH THE SAME GCS AND GSM RIBBON (WHICH
INCLUDES A GREEN STRIPE) WHICH WILL HENCEFORTH BE RESERVED FOR SOUTH-WEST ASIA SERVICE
(3) EXPEDITION RIBBONS TO THE GSC AND GSM ARE CREATED TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBLE FORM OF RECOGNITION FOR THOSE MISSIONS CONDUCTED IN THE
PRESENCE OF AN ARMED ENEMY, OR SUPPORT PROVIDED TO SUCH MISSIONS, AND FOR WHICH SIZE OR SCOPE DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE CREATION OF A
SEPARATE RIBBON. THE EXPEDITION RIBBONS ARE SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING GCS AND GSM RIBBONS WITH THE GREEN BEING REPLACED BY LIGHT GREY. TO
DATE THE ONLY APPROVED ELIGIBLE SERVICE FOR THE GCS-EXP IS MILITARY SERVICE WITHIN THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES AND AIRSPACE OF IRAQ FROM 20
JANUARY 2003 ONWARDS, PROVIDED THE SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED BY ANOTHER SERVICE MEDAL. THIS MEANS THAT CF EXCHANGE PERSONNEL WITH
AMERICAN FORCES IN IRAQ ARE ELIGIBLE SINCE THE US DOES NOT AWARD ITS SERVICE MEDALS TO FOREIGNERS. OF NOTE, THOSE WHO SERVE WITH UNAMI
(OP IOLAUS) OR PERSONNEL ON EXCHANGE WITH THE BRITISH FORCES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE GCS-EXP AS THEY RECEIVE A MEDAL FOR THEIR SERVICE
EITHER FROM THE UN OR FROM THE UK. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO ELIGIBLE SERVICE FOR THE GSM-EXP

B. THE CRITERIA FOR THE GSM ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN CLARIFIED AS FOLLOWS: TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MEDAL, DIRECT SUPPORT MUST BE PERFORMED UNDER EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE PERSON MUST HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED SPECIFICALLY TO PROVIDE THIS OPERATIONAL SUPPORT ON A FULL-TIME BASIS. ONLY WHEN THERE IS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF RISK, THREAT,
HARDSHIP OR OPERATIONAL INTENSITY WILL RECOGNITION BE PROVIDED. ANY SUPPORT WHICH IS COMPARABLE TO NORMAL DUTY OR WHICH IS PERFORMED FROM THE RELATIVE SAFETY OF A LOCATION DISTANT FROM THE THEATRE SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBILE. ELIGIBILITY LISTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED IN LIGHT OF THIS CLARIFICATION

C. RECIPIENTS OF THE GCS AND GSM MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR NEW MULTIPLE ROTATION RECOGNITION IN THE FORM OF ROTATION BARS. ROTATION BARS ARE
AWARDED FOR EACH FURTHER PERIOD OF 180 DAYS OF ELIGIBLE SERVICE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATION FOR THE GCS OR GSM, OR THE LAST ROTATION BAR
THE PERSON HAS EARNED. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALLIED FORCE RIBBON RECIPIENTS BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED DURATION OF THAT OPERATION. THE
SWA AND EXP RIBBONS TO THE GCS AND GSM BEING AWARDED AFTER 30 DAYS IN THEATRE OR SUPPORT, THE FIRST ROTATION BAR IS AWARDED AFTER 210
DAYS IN THEATRE OR SUPPORT, THE SECOND BAR AFTER 390 DAYS, ETC. ALL ELIGIBLE TIME FOR THE SAME RIBBON IS CUMULATIVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF
ELIGIBILITY TO ROTATION BARS BUT TIME IN THEATRE AND IN SUPPORT CANNOT BE COMBINED

D. THE ROTATION BARS ARE GOLD FOR THE GCS AND SILVER FOR THE GSM AND BEAR A CENTRAL MAPLE LEAF. A BAR BEARING FIVE MAPLE LEAVES IS WORN
IN LIEU OF FIVE BARS EACH, WITH A SINGLE MAPLE LEAF. THE AWARD OF ROTATION BARS ON THE UNDRESS RIBBON IS INDICATED BY THE WEAR OF A MAPLE LEAF DEVICE AS FOLS: A SILVER LEAF FOR ONE BAR, A GOLD LEAF FOR 2 BARS, A RED LEAF FOR 3 BARS AND A COMBINATION OF THESE DEVICES FOR FURTHER BARS

E. THE ROTATION BARS ARE NOW READY FOR ISSUE AND UNITS MAY APPLY FOR THEIR ELIGIBLE MEMBERS USING THE ON-LINE APPLICATION SYSTEM. THE
BARS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE DROP-DOWN MENU OF THE MEDALS APPLICATION PROCESSING SYSTEM (MAPS) AS WELL AS THE MEMBER PERSONNEL RECORD
RESUME (MPRR). IT IS A UNIT RESPONSIBILITY TO UPDATE THE HONOURS AND AWARDS BLOCK OF THE MPRR EACH TIME A MEMBER IS AWARDED A NEW HONOUR, INCLUDING ROTATION BARS

F. WITH THE NEW PRINCIPLE OF ROTATION RECOGNITION, THE EXISTING PROVISION STATING THAT ONE CANNOT EARN BOTH THE GCS AND GSM IN
RESPECT OF THE SAME OP IS AMENDED SO THAT IT IS NOW POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO EARN AND WEAR BOTH THE GCS AND THE GSM FOR A GIVEN THEATRE
AS LONG AS THE PERSON DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR BOTH DURING THE SAME 6 MONTHS PERIOD. WHEN A PERSON MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR THE
GCS-SWA OR A BAR TO IT AND THE GSM-SWA OR A BAR TO IT WITHIN A PERIOD OF 180 DAYS, THE PERSON SHALL ONLY BE AWARDED THE GCS OR A BAR TO IT

2. UNITS ARE TO ENSURE THAT ALL CURRENTLY WORN ALLIED FORCE AND ISAF BARS ARE COLLECTED AND RETURNED TO DH R UNDER DND 728

3. DH R HAS A STOCK OF THE NEW ALLIED FORCE AND EXPEDITION RIBBONS IN ROLLS AND IN CLIP-ON FORM WHICH CAN BE REQUESTED FROM UNITS UNTIL
THE ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE SUPPLY SYSTEM. THE COST OF COURT-MOUNTING FULL-SIZE MEDALS TO IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES WILL BE COVERED BY THE CROWN

4. DETAILS ON THE NEW RIBBONS, ROTATION BARS AND THEIR WEARING, AS WELL AS FULL ELIGIBILITY LISTS, MAY BE FOUND ON THE DH R WEB SITE AT
HTTP://OTTAWA-HULL.MIL.CA/DHR-DDHR/ENG/HOME_E.ASP

5.
SIGNED BY MGEN W. SEMIANIW, CMP
END OF ENGLISH TEXT / LE TEXTE FRANCAIS SUIT
 
At first look it seems a bit complicated but would probably be easier to understand if the medals were followed by a map and Op names/dates... 
 
I wonder if I can get my miniatures redone before the Army Ball?
And if I can afford to do it right now.....  :-\
 
There seem to be still more confusion on the medal issue with the examples given in The Maple leaf article and the scenarios. I get the one mission one medal but there are people are still receiving two or 3 for the same time or mission. Turn in you allied bar and receive a new GCS or GSM with an allied ribbon this is still command specific no mater which way you cut it. And as for the SWASM ............ WTF .  So I pry off the bars from my medal and turn them in to DHR and get two medals with different ribbons?

And now the CNAFORGEN 068/10 CMP 031/10 Qualifying service amendments  A. " all service in theater described at Ref A from 11 Sep 01 forward which is not recognized by another medal (such as GCS, GSM, UNSSM OR CPSM) is now eligible for SWASM with Afghanistan bar.  For Example, this includes service as military security guard at the Kabul embassy during this period."

But they were awarding the GCS or GSM for that period, Oh that’s right it’s a command relationship thing that doesn’t apply now, or does it.

This is getting confusing.


http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/commun/ml-fe/article-eng.asp?id=6035
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhr-ddhr/chc-tdh/index-eng.asp
 
Well I, for one, am glad to see the creation of the GCS-EXP for those who served in OIF in Iraq.  It was extremely disappointing to have our "then" Prime Minister actually, publicly deny the fact (in Parliament) that there were 35 of us (serving on exchange with our allies) who were engaged in the actual open days of the invasion.

Agree or disagree with the campaign itself, it is nice to see a little bit of Canadian recognition for the service rendered.


 
Another update:

UNCLAS CANFORGEN 080/10 CMP 037/10
SIC WAK
SECTION 1 OF 2
SUBJ: GCS AND GSM WITH SOUTH-WEST ASIA RIBBON
BILINGUAL MESSAGE / MESSAGE BILINGUE
REF. A. CANFORGEN 066/10 CMP 030/10 171715Z MAR 10
B. CANFORGEN 072/10 CMP 033/10 261730Z MAR 10
C. PC 2010-079 OF 14 JAN 2010
D. PC 2010-250 OF 10 MAR 2010
E. PC 2010-253 OF 10 MAR 2010

1. FURTHER TO THE CANFORGEN AT REF A WHICH ANNOUNCED THE NEW OVERSEAS RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK, THIS CANFORGEN DESCRIBES THE CHANGES MADE TO THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE GENERAL CAMPAIGN STAR WITH SOUTH-WEST ASIA RIBBON (GCS-SWA) AND THE GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL WITH SOUTH-WEST ASIA RIBBON (GSM-SWA). SPECIFIC CHANGES ARE AS FOLS:


A. WITH THE END OF SOUTH-WEST ASIA SERVICE MEDAL (SWASM) QUALIFICATION AND THE CHANGE OF FOCUS FROM MISSION TO THEATRE-BASED RECOGNITION, THE GCS SWA IS NOW AWARDED TO RECOGNIZE:

(1) SERVICE WITH THE CANADIAN CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF) IN AFGHANISTAN FOR AT LEAST 30 CUMULATIVE DAYS BETWEEN 24 APRIL 2003 AND 31 JULY 2009, IN THE
THEATRE OF OPERATIONS WHICH CONSISTED OF THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES AND AIRSPACE OF AFGHANISTAN AND/OR

(2) SERVICE IN THE THEATRE OF OPERATIONS CONSISTING OF THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES OF AFGHANISTAN, THE PERSIAN GULF, THE GULF OF OMAN, THE GULF OF ADEN, THE RED SEA, THE SUEZ CANAL AND THOSE PARTS OF THE
INDIAN OCEAN AND THE ARABIAN SEA THAT ARE WEST OF SIXTY-EIGHT DEGREES EAST LONGITUDE AND NORTH OF FIVE DEGREES SOUTH LATITUDE, AS WELL AS THE AIRSPACE ABOVE THOSE AREAS FOR AT LEAST 30 CUMULATIVE
DAYS COMMENCING ON 01 AUGUST 2009, PROVIDED THAT THE SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED BY ANOTHER SERVICE MEDAL


B. ALL SERVICE IN THEATRE FROM 01 AUGUST 2009 ONWARDS, WHICH NOW INCLUDES THE NAVAL OPS THEATRE IN SWA (TO COVER OP ALTAIR BUT NOT OP ALLIED PROTECTOR WHICH WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY A NEW NATO MEDAL), IS RECOGNIZED WITH THE AWARD OF THE GCS REGARDLESS OF CHAIN OF COMMAND (THIS INCLUDES MIL PERS AT THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN KABUL FOR EXAMPLE).  THOSE WHO SERVE WITH UNAMA (OP ACCIUS) OR PERSONNEL ON
EXCHANGE WITH THE BRITISH FORCES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE AS THEY RECEIVE A MEDAL FOR THEIR SERVICE FROM EITHER THE UN OR THE UK. ALTHOUGH ONLY ISAF SERVICE BEFORE 01 AUGUST 2009 CAN BE CREDITED FOR THE GCS
(OTHER SERVICE BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE SWASM), ELIGIBLE GCS SERVICE DURING BOTH PERIODS MAY BE CUMULATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALCULATING ELIGIBILITY FOR ROTATION BARS


C. WITH THE END OF SWASM QUALIFICATION, THE CHANGE OF FOCUS FROM MISSION TO THEATRE BASED RECOGNITION AND THE REDUCTION OF THE SUPPORT CRITERIA FROM 90 TO 30 DAYS, THE GSM-SWA IS NOW AWARDED TO:

(1) CANADIAN CITIZENS OTHER THAN MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN FORCES (CF) WHO SERVED EITHER:

(A) IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF THE CANADIAN PARTICIPATION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF) IN AFGHANISTAN WHILE DEPLOYED INSIDE THE THEATRE OF OPERATIONS CONSISTING OF THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES OF AFGHANISTAN AND ITS AIRSPACE FOR AT LEAST 30 CUMULATIVE DAYS BETWEEN 24 APRIL 2003 AND 31 JULY 2009 AND/OR
(B) IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF THE CANADIAN MILITARY OPERATIONS WHILE DEPLOYED INSIDE THE THEATRE OF OPERATIONS CONSISTING OF THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES OF AFGHANISTAN, THE PERSIAN GULF, THE GULF OF OMAN, THE GULF OF ADEN, THE RED SEA, THE SUEZ CANAL AND THOSE PARTS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN AND THE ARABIAN SEA THAT ARE WEST OF SIXTY-EIGHT DEGREES EAST LONGITUDE AND NORTH OF FIVE DEGREES SOUTH LATITUDE, AS
WELL AS THE AIRSPACE ABOVE THE AFORESAID AREAS FOR AT LEAST 30 CUMULATIVE DAYS COMMENCING ON 01 AUGUST 2009

(2) MEMBERS OF THE CF, MEMBERS OF ALLIED FORCES AND CANADIAN CITIZENS OTHER THAN MEMBERS OF THE CF WHO SERVED WITH THE CF EITHER:

(A) IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF THE CANADIAN PARTICIPATION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF) IN AFGHANISTAN FROM OUTSIDE THE THEATRE OF OPERATIONS CONSISTING OF THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES OF AFGHANISTAN AND ITS AIRSPACE FOR AT LEAST 30 CUMULATIVE DAYS BETWEEN 24 APRIL 2003 AND 31 JULY 2009 AND/OR
(B) IN DIRECT SUPPORT, PROVIDED FROM OUTSIDE THE THEATRE OF OPERATIONS, OF THE CANADIAN MILITARY OPERATIONS CONDUCTED IN THE THEATRE OF OPERATIONS CONSISTING OF THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES OF
AFGHANISTAN, THE PERSIAN GULF, THE GULF OF OMAN, THE GULF OF ADEN, THE RED SEA, THE SUEZ CANAL AND THOSE PARTS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN AND THE ARABIAN SEA THAT ARE WEST OF SIXTY-EIGHT DEGREES EAST LONGITUDE AND NORTH OF FIVE DEGREES SOUTH LATITUDE, AS WELL AS THE AIRSPACE ABOVE THOSE AREAS FOR AT LEAST 30 CUMULATIVE DAYS COMMENCING ON 01 AUGUST 2009

D. IAW PARA 1F OF REF B, SOME RECIPIENTS WHO HAD TO RELINQUISH THEIR GSM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE GCS ON THE BASIS OF THE FORMER CRITERIA MAY BE ABLE TO CLAIM THEIR GSM BACK PROVIDED THEY DID NOT QUALIFY
FOR BOTH AWARDS WITHIN THE SAME SIX-MONTH PERIOD

2. UPDATED ELIGIBILITY LISTS AND OTHER DETAILS MAY BE FOUND ON THE DH R WEB SITE AT HTTP://HR.OTTAWA-HULL.MIL.CA/DHR-DDHR/ENG/HOME_E.ASP


3. SIGNED BY MGEN W. SEMIANIW, CMP
 
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