Special Service Medal - Domestic Operations Bar

[dimsum]

If people in Fla. can get medals for deployments so can Cyber Ops in direct support of missions.

Fair. But both of those folks would be getting either SSMs or GSMs, not medals that signify geographic “boots on ground / air”.

 

[eliminator]

If people in Fla. can get medals for deployments so can Cyber Ops in direct support of missions.

As long as folks are deployed full-time on named operations outside of the country (without family and F&E), medals such as the SSM are suitable. There's a variety of 'nice spots' around the globe that have qualified for the SSM-EXP....including, but not limited to, Jamaica, Malta, Cyprus, France, UK, Germany, Solomon Islands, Martinique, Belize, etc, etc.

Perhaps the most odd example is that we have members posted OUTCAN to various NATO positions (including some HQs) for 3-4 years along with their families and F&E who qualify for the SSM-NATO.

 

[dimsum]

As long as folks are deployed full-time on named operations outside of the country (without family and F&E), medals such as the SSM are suitable. There's a variety of 'nice spots' around the globe that have qualified for the SSM-EXP....including, but not limited to, Jamaica, Malta, Cyprus, France, UK, Germany, Solomon Islands, Martinique, Belize, etc, etc.

Perhaps the most odd example is that we have members posted OUTCAN to various NATO positions (including some HQs) for 3-4 years along with their families and F&E who qualify for the SSM-NATO.

I think therein lies the rub.

The medal doesn’t denote being away from your family or risk/hazard. It denotes whether you served in an operation or not. If the folks in JFC Naples or wherever had their families with them, it doesn’t change the fact that they did a NATO job.

The DISTANTIA bar acknowledges that some operations are global and the effects don’t need to be from a specific location.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Fair. But both of those folks would be getting either SSMs or GSMs, not medals that signify geographic “boots on ground / air”.

Sure, still medals.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I think therein lies the rub.

The medal doesn’t denote being away from your family or risk/hazard. It denotes whether you served in an operation or not. If the folks in JFC Naples or wherever had their families with them, it doesn’t change the fact that they did a NATO job.

The DISTANTIA bar acknowledges that some operations are global and the effects don’t need to be from a specific location.

I believe the caveat is "on or in direct support of an operation".

It wouldn't be hard to argue Cyber Ops have a direct support role.

 

[Furniture]

I believe the caveat is "on or in direct support of an operation".

It wouldn't be hard to argue Cyber Ops have a direct support role.

The question then becomes, do the Techs making the system work qualify?

What about the Techs maintaining the RPAS, or the IntO/Int Ops/Met Techs briefing the RPAS crews?

It will be interesting to see how this works out. I suspect it will create more issues than it solves.

 

[Halifax Tar]

The question then becomes, do the Techs making the system work qualify?

What about the Techs maintaining the RPAS, or the IntO/Int Ops/Met Techs briefing the RPAS crews?

It will be interesting to see how this works out. I suspect it will create more issues than it solves.

All I know is folks in Fla were getting the same medals I was for floating around the Gulf, because they were in direct support.

FLS is getting medals for 6 months of hotel living.

I have no issue with a Cyber Op, who is contributing to the battle space, having their service recognized.

Where that direct support line is, I have no idea.

 

[dimsum]

The question then becomes, do the Techs making the system work qualify?

What about the Techs maintaining the RPAS, or the IntO/Int Ops/Met Techs briefing the RPAS crews?

It will be interesting to see how this works out. I suspect it will create more issues than it solves.

Well, if the RPA was sent overseas for an operation, the Techs would be there too so that’s a no-brainer. As far as the Int folks and ATIS-y types, my guess would be that yes, they are also direct support. Probably also the Sqn admin/log folks too.

My take on this particular example is imagining that 4XX Remotely Piloted Aircraft Sqn (my term) is deployed for all intents and purposes, just not geographically. This will require a complete mind-shift about what is “deployed” and what isn’t, but the UAS folks have been seeing that for years in the US, UK, etc.

The one distinction I might add (and I’m split on this too) is that since the MQ-9B is armed, the aircrews (Pilot, Sensor Operator, Int Coordinator) get the GCS-equivalent because they are the ones shooting the weapon(s).

 

[CountDC]

If people in Fla. can get medals for deployments so can Cyber Ops in direct support of missions.

In the mid 2000s I worked at a job dealing with Outcan Operations. One Op I dealt with had members overseas and a clerk in Florida that was on a one year rotation. That clerk in Florida received the same op medal as the members in location on the op even though they were never there. No idea what the clerk did for them as everything I could think of was done by those members or staff in Ottawa.

I think both Dom Ops and Service to Canada is something to be recognized and have no issue for it be separate medals to distinguish between the two. Not really a fan of adding another bar to the SSM, more think the SSM should be geared towards outcan ops while dom ops has its own with maybe a number to indicate how many the member has participated in - 99 fits just as easy as 01, anything higher use an infinity symbol.

Absolutely do not want us to go to the American system of giving medals for everything. Talked to one gentleman with a chest of medals and when asked what they were for all I heard him mention was courses he had done. Think he might have mentioned a paper cut in there too but by then I had zoned out.

 

[Staff Weenie]

In the mid 2000s I worked at a job dealing with Outcan Operations. One Op I dealt with had members overseas and a clerk in Florida that was on a one year rotation. That clerk in Florida received the same op medal as the members in location on the op even though they were never there. No idea what the clerk did for them as everything I could think of was done by those members or staff in Ottawa.

I think both Dom Ops and Service to Canada is something to be recognized and have no issue for it be separate medals to distinguish between the two. Not really a fan of adding another bar to the SSM, more think the SSM should be geared towards outcan ops while dom ops has its own with maybe a number to indicate how many the member has participated in - 99 fits just as easy as 01, anything higher use an infinity symbol.

Absolutely do not want us to go to the American system of giving medals for everything. Talked to one gentleman with a chest of medals and when asked what they were for all I heard him mention was courses he had done. Think he might have mentioned a paper cut in there too but by then I had zoned out.

I may be wrong on this, but do not the Americans have a differentiation between ribbons for accomplishments and those for actual decorations/medals? I made the near-fatal mistake once of teasing a Marine Corps Maj, asking if they were for filing, typing, etc - they were for a myriad of deployments into miserable places with combat ops. Took many 'beers of apology' to fix that... Met a USN LCdr who would wear different racks with different dress - asked him why and he said in the one order of dress, he wore all of his ribbons. In the more formal order, the ribbons present were only for actual medals.

Regardless - I am very much in favour of some sort of DOMOPS medal - whether it be an SSM, or something different. There is a distinct measure of risk, and mental health impact on quite a few of these - more so than some deployments for which other medals exist.

 

[CountDC]

You could be right - it may have been ribbons or medals as it was a long time ago and I did zone out after a bit of this was for this course mantra.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Absolutely do not want us to go to the American system of giving medals for everything. Talked to one gentleman with a chest of medals and when asked what they were for all I heard him mention was courses he had done. Think he might have mentioned a paper cut in there too but by then I had zoned out.

My Ex- was in the USAF (we met during GW1). She had an impressive chest full of ribbons (impressive even without the ribbons), though even she admits that she wasn't sure what she did to receive some. In fact, for a while she even wore one ribbon (AF Good Conduct Medal) that she wasn't entitled to simply because it was what had been given to her when she had actually qualified for the Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal (it's the reserve version of the GCM). One of her awards (or actually the first time that she received that medal - she had a few), the Air Force Commendation Medal, she said that she received it for driving a forklift during a vehicle "rodeo" (she had been what we would call a Traffic Tech before getting her RN and being commissioned) - her squadron won the competition partly due to her score and she was given the medal on the same day.

When she later had the secondary duty in her squadron of awards officer, she was particularly unimpressed with the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (a result of Bush's thousand points of light) when it was introduced, and though she was required to process applications recommendations (self recommendations?) she refused to be considered for the award personally. One of the more stupid applications (according to her) was from a lieutenant whose "volunteer service" was arranging extra-curricular activities for a neighborhood group of home-schooled kids (the Lt's among them).

 

[daftandbarmy]

When she later had the secondary duty in her squadron of awards officer, she was particularly unimpressed with the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (a result of Bush's thousand points of light) when it was introduced, and though she was required to process applications recommendations (self recommendations?) she refused to be considered for the award personally. One of the more stupid applications (according to her) was from a lieutenant whose "volunteer service" was arranging extra-curricular activities for a neighborhood group of home-schooled kids (the Lt's among them).

I can think of at least one OMM awarded to a SNCO for something similar in Canada

 

[dimsum]

I may be wrong on this, but do not the Americans have a differentiation between ribbons for accomplishments and those for actual decorations/medals? I made the near-fatal mistake once of teasing a Marine Corps Maj, asking if they were for filing, typing, etc - they were for a myriad of deployments into miserable places with combat ops. Took many 'beers of apology' to fix that... Met a USN LCdr who would wear different racks with different dress - asked him why and he said in the one order of dress, he wore all of his ribbons. In the more formal order, the ribbons present were only for actual medals.

Regardless - I am very much in favour of some sort of DOMOPS medal - whether it be an SSM, or something different. There is a distinct measure of risk, and mental health impact on quite a few of these - more so than some deployments for which other medals exist.

I believe that in the USN (not sure about the other services), you can just wear your “top 3” medals rather than the whole rack.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Meanwhile, Mr. Gringras proposes...

Canadian Defence Medal (Proposal)​

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-gingras-06938a211/

Canadian Defence Medal (Proposal)

Canada's honours and awards system only goes as far back as 1967, in that time a lot of excellent medals have been included in it that allows for not only military, but first responders and civic recognition. With that said, there are still gaps that we should be looking to fill and one of these gap

www.linkedin.com

 

[PrairieFella]

New NATO Vigilance medal coming out which seems like it'll replace the NATO SSM and drastically reduce the number of SSMs that are issued I imagine (if it's approved). Maybe a domestic bar for the SSM isn't such a bad call since it won't be nearly as common anymore.

 

[Halifax Tar]

New NATO Vigilance medal coming out which seems like it'll replace the NATO SSM and drastically reduce the number of SSMs that are issued I imagine (if it's approved). Maybe a domestic bar for the SSM isn't such a bad call since it won't be nearly as common anymore.

Ya this and the Sea Guardian is what we qualified for this deployment.

 

[McG]

I was curious as to how many domestic operations were occurring in Canada. Some I've deployed onto with CAF staff present and I've heard of many others - mostly wildfire and flood responses via Operation LENTUS but spent some time to look up as many as I could locate:

View attachment 89064

Now I know I'm missing older deployments pre-2000. Locally about 15km from where I sit a CAF member was killed on wildfire response in the 1950's and there have been others over the years as well especially in the Search and Rescue field.

But overall it's been a busy couple of decades for the CAF and to share some persepective:

Here's the deployments by rough catagory:
View attachment 89058

And here's the deployments by Year:
View attachment 89059

Unfortunately I don't have access to the number of CAF personnel involved as not all public facing missions list the number of staff. Same with many missions not including details as to which province/territory was involved. Some were in the thousands of CAF members...others less than a dozen. But all were called out for specific taskings above and beyond regular training and garrison duties.

Revised for stupid spelling mistakes by author

foresterab

The table seems to miss every SOVOP prior to the creation of the dotCOMs. The Swiss Air crash was another domestic operation.

 

[brihard]

New NATO Vigilance medal coming out which seems like it'll replace the NATO SSM and drastically reduce the number of SSMs that are issued I imagine (if it's approved). Maybe a domestic bar for the SSM isn't such a bad call since it won't be nearly as common anymore.

What’s this NATO vigilance medal?

 

[dimsum]

What’s this NATO vigilance medal?

It’s a new non-Article 5 medal which will replace SSM-NATO.