Foreign Medals Regulations

[eliminator]

To bump this topic:

Is CFAO 18-6 still valid for CF members being awarded foreign service medals while on OUTCAN?  I will be receiving deployment medals but am not totally sure how to go about asking for Canadian approval to wear them.

The para I'm asking about is this:

6.      A member who was awarded an order, decoration or medal by a foreign
power prior to enrolment may be granted approval to wear the insignia and
ribbon while in uniform. To obtain approval the member shall submit a
written request to the member's commanding officer (CO), accompanied by
documentary proof of the award. The CO shall forward the request with the
original or photocopy of the documentary proof, through normal channels, to
NDHQ/DC.


I don't have access to DWAN and with my Canadian chain either on ex or on leave, it's been a little hit and miss getting a hold of them.  Thanks!

Well, the country awarding you "medal-x" is actually supposed to submit in writing to the Cdn embassy that they intend to award you something. Before country-x awards medal-x, it must obtain permission. Once approval is given, the award can be bestowed. If the medal is to be granted unrestricted wear privileges to the recipient, it will be annotated in the Canadian Gazette, and ultimatly CANFORGEN.  Of note, not all foreign medals can be worn, typically only "decorations" or medals for meritorious service or bravery/valour will get approval for wear. Example, the US Army Commendation Medal is not approved for wear, but the US Meritorious Service Medal is.

Example:

THE INFORMATION BELOW REFLECTS THE SUBSTANTIVE RANK HELD BY THE MEMBERS AT THE DATE OF
APPROVAL BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
2. ON BEHALF OF THE QUEEN, UNRESTRICTED PERMISSION HAS BEEN GRANTED BETWEEN 1 APR 12 AND 28
JUL 12 FOR THE ACCEPTANCE AND WEARING OF COMMONWEALTH AND FOREIGN DECORATIONS
AWARDED TO THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE CF
A. DECORATION CONFERRED BY HER MAJESTY IN RIGHT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
(1) OPERATIONAL SERVICE MEDAL - AFGHANISTAN
(A) MCPL x

 

[Baz]

I received the US Air Force Achievement Medal while at NORAD/NORTHCOM.  I'm not allowed to wear it because it was not given by the governemnt of the United States, but by the military.  From http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhr-ddhr/nhs-sdh/index-eng.asp :

The Sovereign is the fount of all Canadian honours. Therefore, foreign honours must emanate from a similar level, a head of state or government, to be recognized. Awards originating by some other or lower authority are regarded as private honours can be accepted as private mementoes only. Except for courtesy reasons at the moment of presentation, they cannot be worn with national honours or on a CF uniform.

Due to that I never requested authorization.

I'm also qualified in space operations, which has a USAF qualification badge.  I've been told I'm not allowed to wear it unless in a position which requires it (ie NORAD), which makes sense to me so I never checked farther, since I don't really care...

 

[Rheostatic]

Of note, not all foreign medals can be worn, typically only "decorations" or medals for meritorious service or bravery/valour will get approval for wear.

There is certainly a precedence for the awarding of campaign medals, including Australian campaign medals (though you probably didn't intend to exclude them with your post). Examples here, in the Annual Reviews publications: http://cmp-cpm.forces.mil.ca/dhr-ddhr/pub/index-eng.asp.

 

[dimsum]

There is certainly a precedence for the awarding of campaign medals, including Australian campaign medals (though you probably didn't intend to exclude them with your post). Examples here, in the Annual Reviews publications: http://cmp-cpm.forces.mil.ca/dhr-ddhr/pub/index-eng.asp.

Would there happen to be a non-DWAN link?  I don't have access to DWAN while OUTCAN.

 

[Rheostatic]

The annual reviews are no longer published on the internet [http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhr-ddhr/pub/index-eng.asp], but these were awarded to Canadians in 2011:

DECORATIONS CONFERRED BY HER MAJESTY IN RIGHT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Active Service Medal with “International Coalition” Against Terrorism Clasp

Australian Service Medal with “Timor Leste” Clasp

 

[AmmoTech90]

Dimsum,

The key phrase in your CFAO quote is:

prior to enrolment

You are being awarded these while enrolled and as such it has to go through Rideau Hall.  If you get handed one on parade you can wear it for the duration of the function as a courtesy but can put it up on your rack until it is approved, and gazetted.

Its not like it wont be approved, just don't put them up before they are officially approved or something like this might happen:

AT90 is at a mess dinner chatting with the CO.
Young EME captain comes up.
AT90 sees young captain has UK TELIC (Iraq) medal.
AT90, having just come back from the UK, asks when young captain wasin Iraq.
Young EME guy, right before I was posted in here.
AT90, oh, that was fast approval, I'm still waiting for mine.
CO, it hasn't been approved yet...
Young EME guy stutters something about miniatures and beats a hasty retreat.

 

[X Royal]

You are being awarded these while enrolled and as such it has to go through Rideau Hall.  If you get handed one on parade you can wear it for the duration of the function as a courtesy but can put it up on your rack until it is approved, and gazetted.

I find it hard to believe that all foreign medals (those approved) would be gazetted.
Approved to be worn I agree with but not necessarily the gazetted part.
Yes I know many are gazetted but I have never seen a "Been There Done That" type of medal gazetted. Many of our medals issued by Canada for similar deployments are not gazetted.
In fact to the best of my knowledge the greatest majority of medals authorized to be worn by Canadians were never gazetted.

 

[Journeyman]

In fact to the best of my knowledge the greatest majority of medals authorized to be worn by Canadians were never gazetted.

That struck me as odd too... but then I'm not a....  :bowdown:    Royal


I guess it was obvious by my "do it now/apologize later" solution, that I'm clearly not part of the 'never pass a fault' side of the house.    ;D

 

[X Royal]

Of General Natynczyk's medals three of them would have been gazetted.
Two Canadian and one from the USA.

 

[AmmoTech90]

My OSM(Afghanistan) was gazetted, along with a slack handful of other foreign awards (for others).

Regardless of what the award is for, valour, campaign, or long service, in Canada it is issued by the Crown and as such non-Canadian awards have to be approved by the Crown.

Edit:  Our campaign awards to individuals are not gazetted, but the overall criteria to award those are, and are modified on regular basis (http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-04-30/html/order-decret-eng.html) so in some way they are gazetted.

 

[slayer/raptor]

So I noticed in the last few foreign awards CANFORGEN that the former Army Commander LGen Hainse has been receiving quite a few foreign medals: The US Legion of Merit, the French Legion of Honour, the Brazilian OMM, the Colombian Faith in the Cause Medal, and the NATO MSM.

I remember reading somewhere in the dress regs something along the lines of the fact that Canada doesn't partake in the exchange of honours and awards for simply exchange sake. Not to deminish the worth of these medals, I'm just curious how these could have been earned. Other than the NATO MSM which was likely earned in Afghanistan. The other medals seem to be kind of like our Order of Military Merit. If the Army Commander gets awarded these, how come our CDS does not?

 

[George Wallace]

So I noticed in the last few foreign awards CANFORGEN that the former Army Commander LGen Hainse has been receiving quite a few foreign medals: The US Legion of Merit, the French Legion of Honour, the Brazilian OMM, the Colombian Faith in the Cause Medal, and the NATO MSM.

I remember reading somewhere in the dress regs something along the lines of the fact that Canada doesn't partake in the exchange of honours and awards for simply exchange sake. Not to deminish the worth of these medals, I'm just curious how these could have been earned. Other than the NATO MSM which was likely earned in Afghanistan. The other medals seem to be kind of like our Order of Military Merit. If the Army Commander gets awarded these, how come our CDS does not?

You could always ask those foreign governments that question.  [

Usually, for someone to be acknowledged by a foreign government with a "Decoration", they must have at some time served in some capacity that was related to that foreign nation. 

 

[tomahawk6]

So I noticed in the last few foreign awards CANFORGEN that the former Army Commander LGen Hainse has been receiving quite a few foreign medals: The US Legion of Merit, the French Legion of Honour, the Brazilian OMM, the Colombian Faith in the Cause Medal, and the NATO MSM.

I remember reading somewhere in the dress regs something along the lines of the fact that Canada doesn't partake in the exchange of honours and awards for simply exchange sake. Not to deminish the worth of these medals, I'm just curious how these could have been earned. Other than the NATO MSM which was likely earned in Afghanistan. The other medals seem to be kind of like our Order of Military Merit. If the Army Commander gets awarded these, how come our CDS does not?

In the case of the LM we award it typically to Colonels/BG and very senior NCO's at the end of a successful tour of duty and or retirement.