Changes to Criteria for Campaign Medals
 

At present, members of the Armed Forces who serve for 30 continuous days qualify for Iraq and Afghanistan campaign medals. Following a review, those who have served for an aggregate period of 45 days will also now be eligible. These changes will be backdated to the start of both operations.

Examples of Service personnel who could now be eligible include members of the aeromedical evacuation teams who accompany injured patients back to the UK.

Under the new plans, personnel who deploy for short periods of time will be allowed to build up accrued days to achieve an aggregate qualifying period of 45 days' service.

These changes have been approved by Her Majesty The Queen following recommendations by military Chiefs of Staff.

Serving personnel who believe they may now be eligible should apply through their unit admin staff.

Ex-Service personnel should contact the MOD Medal Office

This was posted by the Ministry of Defence. For more information click here.

Sadly, the guys and gals who fly Reaper from Nevada still don't qualify, even having flown 11,000hrs+ of missions and dropped more ordnance than the FJs. But if you're in the KAF "Hat Police" or dishing out Dollars in A1 then you do...

...where's the logic in that :ugh:

Something to do with the likelyhood of IDF I suppose:ok:

Hmmm, smacks of softening the blow pre-SDSR the cynic in me says....

Medals
 

Reminds of of the story of the dentist who was posted from just outside basingstoke to a FJ station, who when attending her 1st dining in night at her new Stn asked why nobody wore medals:}.

Don't tar all FJ stations with the F3 brush!

Medal off
 

Leon Kissmeflaps said:

Quote:

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the guys and gals who fly Reaper from Nevada still don't qualify... But if you're in the KAF "Hat Police" or dishing out Dollars in A1 then you do...

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Because, unlike 'the KAF "Hat Police" or... A1' you've never been in theatre.

It's very sad and bitter. I would have thought, if you've had as much kinetic effect as you proclaim, it would be enough to be proud of what you've done rather then denigrating everyone else's service - or overly concerning yourself with 'bling.'

Pongochap, I'm sure the troops on the ground would be more in support about having a highly skilled pilot dropping bang on the right target, and possibly getting them out of very sticky situations getting a medal than the bluntie who hands out $ sat behind the wire etc :ok:...

Who cares if they have been "in" theatre?? If you play your part in the operation, you should get a medal IMHO, regardless of your role, and I would imagine there is a fair bit of stress being responsible for £££££ worth of UAV and dropping bang very very close to your own troops......

Yet again the services fall on thier own sword :ugh:...

Good grief grow up.

In theatre = IDF and a medal (and a big pay packet when you come home)
In Creech = going home for a shag and a beer (and quite a reasonale lifestyle for 3 years-ish)

Personally I know which I'd prefer.

Not totally sure how much risk the FJ guys are taking when airborne, is it really more than the Hat Police on the gate?

It is pretty well publicised that Op Medals are awarded on the basis of "Risk & Rigour". Not awarding a medal to the UAV guys in no way diminishes their importance any more than those who served in Qatar, Oman etc, it simply recognises that very little "risk" or "rigour" is involved.

"In Theatre" has always been widely interpreted. During the Falklands War the guys on Ascension subsequently got the South Atlantic Medal, but without the rosette which indicated service on The Falklands or the surrounding waters. Not a lot of risk, but a reasonable amount of rigour I assume.

The same criteria would appear to have been used for those in Cyprus during GW1 & 2 - though I would suggest the amount of rigour was pretty variable!

Don't the guys (and girls?) from Creech go to KAF for the landing / takeoff bit? :confused: If so, you'll earn the medal.......:}

Thank you Defence HQ for a good decision. Now, is there any chance that you could have a look at a couple of other related matters that many people think important, specifically:

- Some form of differentiation on the medal ribbon to indicate the difference in threat, risk and rigour undertaken by that individual. Perhaps that might ameliorate some of the earlier posters. Perhaps a HELMAND bar, or something?

- Something to indicate repeated tours? I am sure that there are plenty of guys now on their fourth (in-the-field) 6-monther, and I know a couple of RAF types on their 8th op det.

- Battle Honours with right of emblazonment for unit Standards/Colours etc?

Just a thought...

If only it was that easy, kitbag. What about those that only fly over theatre, have zero operational risk as they aren't based in theatre and still get a medal?

IMHO if a medal is for contribution to the op then Creech based personnel should get it, together with CAOC personnel and many in PJHQ.

If it is for "risk and rigor" then anyone that goes outside the wire should get it. Those who stay constantly inside have a less clear claim. There should certainly be some clear differentation between the KAF huggers and the guy that goes on foot patrol.

Don't think they'll qualify then. The specific example given by the MOD bloke seems simple enough even for me to understand; accrue time on the ground in theatre (small chunks to = 45 days, or continuously for 30 days), get recognised for it

As for the guff about PJHQ and others out of the declared operational area deserving it ....:mad:

You added the word ground which is not in the MOD release. If ground is a requirement then this would exclude aircrew who only operate over AFG.

The other catch is what constitues an acrued day? If an aeromed team is only on the ground, and at risk, during a quick turn round is this counted as a day or hours only?

PS:

To follow from KB's response. To make a distinction between air and ground would seem at odds with previous practise. How do you distinguish between a carrier based or out of country based aircraft that delivers CAS and is therefore at risk from ground fire and thoses based in country?

A similar distinction existed in FI as has been mentioned. During the FRY campaign many aircrew were never in-country but they still got medals.

The question also remains - what constitutes an acrued day?

PN, correct I added ground because it seemed obvious to me, though clearly not anybody else.
Aircrew who overfly and are at no risk don't count.
Mr G, I guess from other posts you are at Creech why don't you apply and let us know how far you get?
People on the ground do count. IDF still a reasonable likelihood, the main base was attacked on foot a few months ago.
Aeromed teams by the very nature of their work do put boots on the ground waiting for the poor sods who get hurt, though in their case this time will probably be counting towards their 1st or 2nd bar, I think. Don't the medics have the shortest t/r time on Op tours at the moment? hence 2brevets story.
Footsloggers, SH crews, FP and all the others out there all deserve it, no doubt about that, boys in Creech, PJHQ etc certainly don't.

Pongoflaps said:

Au contraire...I have been to BSN, KAF, LKG, KBL, FOB EDINBURGH, FOB PRICE, FOB DELHI to name but a few... One tour "over" Afghanistan and one tour "in" Afghanistan. That's because I've never flown Reaper and only used its products in the sandpit.

With that in mind, and having seen what the Reaper boys and girls are doing for the main effort, I think the fact they don't get gongs is disgusting. They have to decide to take life on a regular basis in self defence of our own troops, work 12hr days for 3 years on constant 24/7 operations (not 6 months about every 4 years as a Bde is currently doing). I believe that gets the personal "rigour" tick and it should be rewarded with a gong, maybe without the rosette? But hey, let's not points score, I have my opinion and you have yours :ok:

By the way, it could be argued that the streets of Las Vegas are far more dangerous than in KAF - there were 131 violent deaths in Las Vegas last year!!! :} "Joke, OK?"...

LJ

Joke yes fine. But poorly judged given your audience - I would consider removing that last bit in the interest of good taste :=