New Operational Service Medal Announced

[George Wallace]

Im getting out, will this be stored somewhere for if I get back in? How do I go about proving it, years down the road?

- Shawn

All your info is stored on your MPRR, in HMRS.  That will all be there should you decide to join the CF again at a later date.

 

[navypuke]

Thanks for posting that deployment list, I heard about it from people. But no one had it to show me. If you look at the list it looks like only East coast boats did enough time in one go to get the medal. Seems the east coast gets all the medals. I guess if your a west coaster you'll just have to go back for an additional trip down south. 6 days short is my number, looks like i'll just volunteer for the next southploy in the future to cap it off. I know a couple boys on the Calgary and Tanker that got the time though between two trips, I'm sure they'll be pleased.

 

[navypuke]

Actually those dates that they awarded were wrong for Vancouver, Algonquin, Protecteur. I just went over my calendar and we were origally supposed to be in Guatamala 5 days last year but we left in under 48 hours because the situation deteriorated beyond our control. So all three ships should be awarded more days cause we left morning of October 1st when we were supposed to leave the October 4th. It doesn't get any of those boats up to 30 days, but its a hole in that list.

 

[gcclarke]

Actually those dates that they awarded were wrong for Vancouver, Algonquin, Protecteur. I just went over my calendar and we were origally supposed to be in Guatamala 5 days last year but we left in under 48 hours because the situation deteriorated beyond our control. So all three ships should be awarded more days cause we left morning of October 1st when we were supposed to leave the October 4th. It doesn't get any of those boats up to 30 days, but its a hole in that list.

Guatamala was the one port visit that trip that I was really looking forward to, and I ended up not getting more than 10 m past PRO's brow.

Dang rains.

 

[q_1966]

I wanted terribly to participate in that (on the one day off I had) as there was a huge BBQ on the flight deck for the crew we were working (the night we got in)
Because we were leaving early and I was Night Baker I had to start at 7pm or so rather than the usual 11pm/midnight as they didnt know what was going to happen and could quickly turn into a big humanitarian mission.

What irritated me is, all the people that helped (ie: Jr ranks get the Rib or Zodiac on trailers to take the boat up the river) but when it came time (once the FOB was set up) the Officers and Chiefs didn't need anymore than a handful of people that originally volunteered.

The boat went inland  a considerable ways (stunk really bad) but couldnt find anyone and turned around

Then the rain subsided the next day and we left...making me feel like we did just enough to say Hey look at Canada were Important...Humanitarian Assistance indeed
Now this is just from what I know maybe someone can fill me in.

 

[Lex Parsimoniae]

Actually those dates that they awarded were wrong for Vancouver, Algonquin, Protecteur. I just went over my calendar and we were origally supposed to be in Guatemala 5 days last year but we left in under 48 hours because the situation deteriorated beyond our control. So all three ships should be awarded more days cause we left morning of October 1st when we were supposed to leave the October 4th. It doesn't get any of those boats up to 30 days, but its a hole in that list.

The dates are based on when the ships chopped to JIATF(S) control - just being at sea doesn't mean the ships were under JIATF(S) operational control.

*Someone please tell me what CHOP means*

CHOP = Change of Operational Control

 

[navypuke]

From what I heard, we were told by the Guatemalan military that they had it under control, and they would only help if the local politicians would ask for help. I don't think they trust their own army. Since they didn't ask, we were not required. 

 

[gcclarke]

I think part of it was a bit of overreaction on our part. We heard "There's flooding. People are stuck sitting on their roof." We instantly think that those poor people need to be rescued from said roof. When in fact, this is something that happens every year, the people are perfectly fine where they are and don't need "rescuing", as they're only staying there so they can keep an eye on all their worldly goods, which might otherwise have a tendency to "wander off".

Regardless, the rains could have very easily made the logistics of ferrying people to and from Antigua an absolute nightmare, so the fact we left early isn't surprising, once we found out our assistance wasn't required. I believe the moral of the story is that if the closest place you can go to reasonably enjoy yourself is over an hour away by bus, you should probably look into heading to some other port.

 

[q_1966]

on a side note I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the US deployed 60 or so people for that, though it might of been a different crazy ass storm.

 

[dinicthus]

Curious. If you have been awarded medals, are you required to display them on your dress greens?

 

[PMedMoe]

Curious. If you have been awarded medals, are you required to display them on your dress greens?

Yes, you are required to wear them when ordered.  Sometimes, just the ribbons.  But definitely one or the other on the DEU.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Yes, you are required to wear them when ordered.  Sometimes, just the ribbons.  But definitely one or the other on the DEU.

Not always will one or  the other be required. During my OSQAB grad parade no medals or ribbons were to be worn on our tunics... No one understood the order and the RCR fellow who was a remusted to NWT was miffed... Rumor was the reviewing officer, LT(N), had nil medals. Just the rumor but who knows why now, that was 11 years ago lol

 

[PMedMoe]

Not always will one or  the other be required. During my OSQAB grad parade no medals or ribbons were to be worn on our tunics... No one understood the order and the RCR fellow who was a remusted to NWT was miffed... Rumor was the reviewing officer, LT(N), had nil medals. Just the rumor but who knows why now, that was 11 years ago lol

You have to admit, that's got to be a rare case. 

 

[Journeyman]

....no medals or ribbons were to be worn on our tunics...

I'll leave it to the RSMs and Adjts to weigh in on the impropriety of that decision, but I'd be miffed too.


Mind you, when I was sentenced to NDHQ and had to wear DEU every day, I had a set of undress ribbons made up that consisted of just my deployment medals. I wore those to irritate a pompous co-worker who had only a CD, explaining that medals like my CD, QGJM, and Peacekeeping weren't "real" medals.



Of course, I'm much more mature now  :nod:

 

[medicineman]

Last I looked at the dress regs, the DEU series 1-3 have as orders of dress ribbons if medals aren't appropriate and vice versa.  Sounds a little like another case of "Dress Regs According to Me".  If you have decorations, they go on the uniform - the order of dress and occasion dictates what form those decorations take.

JM - did you make a point of also wearing some of your other accoutrements to rub things in further?

MM

 

[Journeyman]

JM - did you make a point of also wearing some of your other accoutrements to rub things in further?

Naturally  ;D

 

[medicineman]

Thought so, but just checking for the record  ;D.

MM

 

[Pusser]

Not always will one or  the other be required. During my OSQAB grad parade no medals or ribbons were to be worn on our tunics... No one understood the order and the RCR fellow who was a remusted to NWT was miffed... Rumor was the reviewing officer, LT(N), had nil medals. Just the rumor but who knows why now, that was 11 years ago lol

That is completely and utterly wrong!  All orders, decorations and medals in the Canadian Honours System are honours from the Crown and no one in the CF has the authority to tell someone not to wear them on the appropriate order of dress.  With the exception of longsleeve shirt orders with or without sweaters, there is no order of service dress (DEU) that does not include either medals or undress ribbons.  If you've earned them, you can wear them and no one can tell you otherwise.

Having said that, there is nothing that forces an individual to accept an order, decoration or medal....

 

[Pusser]

I'll leave it to the RSMs and Adjts to weigh in on the impropriety of that decision, but I'd be miffed too.


Mind you, when I was sentenced to NDHQ and had to wear DEU every day, I had a set of undress ribbons made up that consisted of just my deployment medals. I wore those to irritate a pompous co-worker who had only a CD, explaining that medals like my CD, QGJM, and Peacekeeping weren't "real" medals.



Of course, I'm much more mature now  :nod:

Sometimes the CD doesn't get the respect it deserves.  Twelve years of one's life is no small accomplishment and for some, behaving oneself for 12 years is a HUGE accomplishment. ;D  Despite the fact that one doesn't really have to do anything to receive a CD (other than behave - or at least not get caught for 12 years), it does represent a level of commitment that should be lauded.  Just because someone was never called to task doesn't mean they couldn't have been.

It's also worth noting that the CD is not a medal, it's a decoration, which means you get a postnominal letters and the right to put it on your personal coat of arms, should you so choose.  No other Canadian long service medal has this distinction.  It really is a step above the others.

 

[Infanteer]

It's also worth noting that the CD is not a medal, it's a decoration, which means you get a postnominal letters and the right to put it on your personal coat of arms, should you so choose.  No other Canadian long service medal has this distinction.  It really is a step above the others.

Well, it is a medal (as opposed to a device or a scroll); one that also happens to be a decoration.