# article 5 medal for deployed members at sea



## cfred0912 (27 Mar 2016)

Good day, I have a question regarding the article 5 medal that other ship use to have when doing the Op Reassurance in the agean and black sea. Now that Nato have change a part of the mission for refugees in Agean sea is it  still counting for the Article 5 medal or only time on the SSM?

Thanks


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## NavyShooter (27 Mar 2016)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_Medal


From the ever 'accurate' Wikipedia:

The following Article 5 and Non-Article 5 missions are currently active:

_NATO Article 5 medal for Operation Active Endeavour

NATO Non-Article 5 medal for the Balkans

NATO Non-Article 5 medal for Africa

NATO Non-article 5 medal for Operation Resolute Support-Afghanistan
_


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## ModlrMike (27 Mar 2016)

I would wait for the applicable CANFORGEN to be published.


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## Nfld Sapper (27 Mar 2016)

From DHH the only Article 5 NATO Medals authorized are for:

1. OPERATION ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR.

The NATO Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR formally began on 26 October 2001, when the activation order was issued. However, patrolling in the Eastern Mediterranean had already started on 6 October, when the Standing Naval Force Mediterranean was dispatched to conduct maritime presence operations in support of the international campaign against terrorism.

LIGIBILITY & CRITERIA

Awarded for thirty days continuous or 60 cumulative days service as part of an element of the Standing Naval Force (SNF) operating in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea and in the air space above it commencing the 26 October 2001 and terminating at date to be determined.

2. OPERATION EAGLE ASSIST

Operation Eagle Assist began on 12 October 2001 following the North Atlantic Council's 4 October decision to take measures to operationalize Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. This was done following the terrorist attacks against the United States on 11 September 2001 and the mission's aim was to help the US Forces control the North American airspace. The mission was deemed as completed on the 16 May 2002.

ELIGIBILITY & CRITERIA

Awarded to NAEW&C crews that have served thirty days continuous or accumulated service in the air space of United States of America, and the air space of North America as tasked by NORAD between 12 October 2001 and 16 May 2002


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## Halifax Tar (28 Mar 2016)

cfred0912 said:
			
		

> Good day, I have a question regarding the article 5 medal that other ship use to have when doing the Op Reassurance in the agean and black sea. Now that Nato have change a part of the mission for refugees in Agean sea is it  still counting for the Article 5 medal or only time on the SSM?
> 
> Thanks



I am currently on deployment with HMCS Fredericton.  We have been given the following info:

1) We have qualified for the Art 5 (30 Days)
2) If you have the Art 5 command is maintaining you will get a #2 device.  (I dont think the Art 5 gets a # device but I could be wrong, I was once before back in '87)
3) For our current activity in the Aegean there are thee possible options:
           
                   a)  Non-Art 5 medal; 
                   b)  NATO creates a whole new op and medal;
                   c)  Days towards SSM qual.

The strong contenders, I am told, are New Op and medal or Non Art 5. 

All days not coverd by another medal entitlement goes towards your SSM NATO.


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## Nfld Sapper (28 Mar 2016)

Halifax Tar according to DHH,



> ELIGIBILITY & CRITERIA
> 
> NATO tour numerals are awarded for another 180 days accumulated service with a NATO mission or after each additional 540 days service in the adjacent area. This only applies for the NATO medals for the Former-Yugoslavia, Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Other NATO medals do not have numerals.


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## Halifax Tar (28 Mar 2016)

NFLD Sapper said:
			
		

> Halifax Tar according to DHH,
> 
> ELIGIBILITY & CRITERIA
> 
> NATO tour numerals are awarded for another 180 days accumulated service with a NATO mission or after each additional 540 days service in the adjacent area. This only applies for the NATO medals for the Former-Yugoslavia, Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Other NATO medals do not have numerals.



Thats what I thought... It will be interesting so see what comes out of this...


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## Ice97 (29 Mar 2016)

1 thing I was told too is that you cannot get 2 medals for the same OP.  Alot of people think you can...but I don't think you can.  You can (and we did) recieve 2 medals for the same Deployment.  Went straight from OP Artemis into ROTO 0 for OP Reassurance.  The NATO Medal was very sticky on the criteria though.  We had 2 1/2 months on OP Reassurance (broken up by port visits and such)...but we kept getting told that you had to have 30 consecutive days in the Med.  So going to Turkey, and Crete broke that up.  Looked like we weren't going to get it...but they found a window of time and we were told that if we were on ship for 30 consecutive days during that...then we got the Medal.


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## SupersonicMax (29 Mar 2016)

Is the point getting more bling or getting decorations that represents what you did operationally? If it's the latter then 2 medals for the same operation wouldn't really be appropriate imo.  Clasps for time? Sure.  But one medal...


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## Sub_Guy (29 Mar 2016)

Ice97 said:
			
		

> 1 thing I was told too is that you cannot get 2 medals for the same OP.  Alot of people think you can...but I don't think you can.



You indeed can.  There is a CANFORGEN on it.  You can get the GCS and GSM for the same Op, but you can't qualify for both in the same 6 month period.   I know your situation is completely different as you did participate in two different operations.


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## Ice97 (30 Mar 2016)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> Is the point getting more bling or getting decorations that represents what you did operationally? If it's the latter then 2 medals for the same operation wouldn't really be appropriate imo.  Clasps for time? Sure.  But one medal...



Refering to it as "bling" is kind of a rude comment.  Having a representation of the job we did while spending alot of time away from our family is what most of us strive for.  You can get a job on civvy side doing most of the Military trades.  and probably make more too.  Alot of people joined the Military because they wanted to serve.  Home and abroad.  And alittle representation that lets people know what you did is all you can ask for


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## George Wallace (30 Mar 2016)

Ice97 said:
			
		

> Refering to it as "bling" is kind of a rude comment.



What is more insulting is (are) the person(s) who figure that collecting "bling" is somehow going to make them more "important" and a necessary factor by which to judge people by.


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## Halifax Tar (30 Mar 2016)

I always wondered how crews of HMC Ships qualified for the GCS...

I get it, "pirates" were an armed enemy they were "in the presence of"... But really lets define presence here... 

Anyways good for those sailors who earned it on the water... RANT OFF


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## Ice97 (30 Mar 2016)

Halifax Tar said:
			
		

> I always wondered how crews of HMC Ships qualified for the GCS...
> 
> I get it, "pirates" were an armed enemy they were "in the presence of"... But really lets define presence here...
> 
> Anyways good for those sailors who earned it on the water... RANT OFF



■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 August 1, 2009, provided that the service has not been recognized by another service medal

How is it any different then people that deployed to Afghanistan and spent 8 months behind the wire and never even remotely came close to an armed presence?  People deployed to Afghanistan and had very different tours.  Some people spent alot of time outside the wire....and I know some people that were in a nice tent the whole time and spent their tour playing Xbox and WoW.  The GCS is not just for Land tours and people need to stop minimizing it.  8 1/2 mths away from home and family is a very long time.  If the Military deems that you meet the criteria and want to recognize it...then so be it.  I can't speak for anyone else....but I didn't deploy just to get a Medal.  I thought it was great to do something different, visit some different countries and do my job and apply my knowledge in an operational deployment.  And if I would have done a Land tour instead of a Sea tour...I still would've been happy.


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## jollyjacktar (30 Mar 2016)

I guess the rocket attacks at KAF must have been a figment of my imagination.


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## Halifax Tar (30 Mar 2016)

Ice97 said:
			
		

> ■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 August 1, 2009, provided that the service has not been recognized by another service medal
> 
> How is it any different then people that deployed to Afghanistan and spent 8 months behind the wire and never even remotely came close to an armed presence?  People deployed to Afghanistan and had very different tours.  Some people spent alot of time outside the wire....and I know some people that were in a nice tent the whole time and spent their tour playing Xbox and WoW.  The GCS is not just for Land tours and people need to stop minimizing it.  8 1/2 mths away from home and family is a very long time.  If the Military deems that you meet the criteria and want to recognize it...then so be it.  I can't speak for anyone else....but I didn't deploy just to get a Medal.  I thought it was great to do something different, visit some different countries and do my job and apply my knowledge in an operational deployment.  And if I would have done a Land tour instead of a Sea tour...I still would've been happy.



Para 1:  Thanks tips.  I know the pre-reqs.  That doesn't mean they don't make me scratch my head.  

Para 2:  I have done both (So has JJT).  2 Navy Deployments and two AFG tours, one on KAF (Doing CLPs) and one "outside the wire" (PDC).  So if you think I am going buy anything you are selling you are incorrect. 

Point of note while I was at PDC the Tailbs busted through the wire on KAF multiple times causing the first set of ground attacks KAF come under in years.  It didn't end well for them but the did it.

And well the almost daily rocket attacks JJT mentioned...  And you know the whole being in a country surrounded by an enemy presence...


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## PuckChaser (30 Mar 2016)

Its OK guys, Max might be a little upset that our last CDS was a fighter jock with only a SSM to his name, similar to most fighter jocks in the CAF (minus the lucky few for IMPACT).  :stirpot:


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## Sub_Guy (30 Mar 2016)

PuckChaser said:
			
		

> Its OK guys, Max might be a little upset that our last CDS was a fighter jock with only a SSM to his name  :stirpot:



But did you see his jacket?


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## cfred0912 (19 Apr 2016)

Ok, Here's my concern, I'm on the Fredericton since march and I have so many answers concerning the article 5 medal if I entitled or not (I will have more then 30 days on the ship actually close to 60 days.). some people said it was only the first 30 days at sea, some others saying that the black sea is the major point of Op Reassurance. So I'm a little confuse here... When I ask the clerk pretty much same answers. So where can I find the complete information about Op Reassurance/ active Endeavor theator. Or have a real and clear answer on who and who's not entitled to the article 5 medal. 
BTW, the point is not to have absolutly the medal but if I'm entitled,I'm Entitled..

Thanks again for you clear answers.


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## George Wallace (19 Apr 2016)

cfred0912 said:
			
		

> Ok, Here's my concern, I'm on the Fredericton since march and I have so many answers concerning the article 5 medal if I entitled or not (I will have more then 30 days on the ship actually close to 60 days.). some people said it was only the first 30 days at sea, some others saying that the black sea is the major point of Op Reassurance. So I'm a little confuse here... When I ask the clerk pretty much same answers. So where can I find the complete information about Op Reassurance/ active Endeavor theator. Or have a real and clear answer on who and who's not entitled to the article 5 medal.
> BTW, the point is not to have absolutly the medal but if I'm entitled,I'm Entitled..
> 
> Thanks again for you clear answers.



Ummmm?  Have you bothered to read this thread that you have started?

Did this not clarify your situation for you:



			
				Ice97 said:
			
		

> ■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 August 1, 2009, provided that the service has not been recognized by another service medal



(This does not include time on ship berthed in Halifax/Esquimalt.)


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## cfred0912 (19 Apr 2016)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Ummmm?  Have you bothered to read this thread that you have started?
> 
> Did this not clarify your situation for you:
> 
> (This does not include time on ship berthed in Halifax/Esquimalt.)



Thanks but I believe this is not Op reassurance The red Sea was part of the Golf one I don't remember the name.  We're not in red sea or neer Dubai but on the other side Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Greece Etc. 
Thanks but again I might be wrong. And yes I read all comments.


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## Eye In The Sky (19 Apr 2016)

cfred0912 said:
			
		

> Thanks but I believe this is not Op reassurance The red Sea was part of the Golf one I don't remember the name.  We're not in red sea or neer Dubai but on the other side Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Greece Etc.
> Thanks but again I might be wrong. And yes I read all comments.



Ref the yellow text...I believe that would make it either a (1) _NDHQ_ or (2) _1 Cdn Air Div HQ _exercise.   >


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## Halifax Tar (19 Apr 2016)

The issue arises with RCN for medal entitlements, that while we will have been at sea for 6 months on deployment we weren't on the same operation the whole time. 

It will depend on when you arrived and how many days we have been under Op Active Endeavour during your time on FRE.


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## George Wallace (19 Apr 2016)

cfred0912 said:
			
		

> Thanks but I believe this is not Op reassurance The red Sea was part of the Golf one I don't remember the name.  We're not in red sea or neer Dubai but on the other side Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Greece Etc.
> Thanks but again I might be wrong. And yes I read all comments.



The fact in that quote to take into account, even if it relates to another operation, is that the "geographic location description" and the "TIME in that geographic location" is what will determine your entitlement.


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## Lumber (19 Apr 2016)

Halifax Tar said:
			
		

> The issue arises with RCN for medal entitlements, that while we will have been at sea for 6 months on deployment we weren't on the same operation the whole time.
> 
> It will depend on when you arrived and how many days we have been under Op Active Endeavour during your time on FRE.



I have several friends (and practically a whole ship's company) who earned 2 medals on 1 deployment when the ship transferred from Active Endeavour to Artemis.


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## jollyjacktar (19 Apr 2016)

Same thing happened for the troops that moved from Kabul to Kandahar in 05.


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## Halifax Tar (19 Apr 2016)

Lumber said:
			
		

> I have several friends (and practically a whole ship's company) who earned 2 medals on 1 deployment when the ship transferred from Active Endeavour to Artemis.



We are not undertaking Artemis. 

Our only time is OAE and NATO time.


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## Lumber (19 Apr 2016)

Halifax Tar said:
			
		

> We are not undertaking Artemis.
> 
> Our only time is OAE and NATO time.



Ah, sorry. I forgot the threat title explicitly states "Article 5..."


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## MMSS (4 May 2016)

Another FRE sailor here. NATO article 5 medal for Active Endeavour is only if you have 30 days continuous or 60 total on OAE. If you weren't with the ship for that much OAE you won't get the NATO medal. 

April 25th a CANFORGEN went out saying that the Honours Committee is looking at creating a new honour for those who took part in OP REASSURANCE and OP UNIFIER to replace awarding the NATO bar to the SSM. So whenever they decide what that will be, anyone who sailed on REASSURANCE will most likely get it. 

Result: someone who sailed with FRE for the whole deployment will get one and may end up with two medals; someone who sailed for part of the deployment may end up with one.


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## MMSS (8 May 2016)

Also might be worth merging with the older thread here


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## Furniture (12 May 2016)

To clarify in case anyone is in question, time alongside in theatre counts toward the Article 5 OAE as well. When WIN was there we never had a 30 day period at sea, even when transiting back home across the Pacific.


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## cfred0912 (19 Jul 2016)

On the same note, who's making the Criteria to get that medal is it canada or Nato. On the Forces site there is a discrepency between the french and english prerequisite. other Nato country gets the medal for 30 days continuous or accumulated.

Thanks,


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## cfred0912 (31 Jul 2016)

I don't know if that is good, but this is what I found on Nato web site. I gess DH&R will have to change their English version 'cause the french version is good but they told me the opposite..
"Medal for Operation Active Endeavour

General Eligibility Criteria :
Eligible personnel are those serving, either as individuals or as part of an element of the forces, in accordance with OPLAN 10708. Those under both NATO and national command, or control, available to the Commander of Task Force ENDEAVOUR (TFE) and Task Group STROG (TGS) and only whilst in the Area of Operation, will be entitled to the award.

Area of Operations
Operation “ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR” is conducted in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and Straits of Gibraltar (STROG), and in the airspace above it within the Area of Operation as detailed in OPLAN 10708, paragraph 5a(2) (noting also paragraph 1b) also CC-Mar Naples OPLAN 43708.

Qualifying Service
The qualifying period in the Area of Operations is 30 days continuous or accumulated service from 26 October 2001 and a termination date, which will be notified in a supplementary document.

Aircrew
Aircrew will accumulate one day’s service for the first sortie flown of any day in the Area of Operations; additional sorties flown on the same day receive no further credit. This requirement exists for combat aircraft as well as support aircraft to include tanker, airlift and surveillance platforms.


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## Halifax Tar (17 Jan 2017)

Just saw this:

UNCLAS 
CANFORGEN CMP 004/17
SECTION 1 OF 2
SUBJ: RECOGNITION FOR OPERATION REASSURANCE AND OPERATION UNIFIER
REFS: A. CANFORGEN 073/16 CMP 076/16 251912Z APR 16
B. CANFORGEN 003/09 CMP 002/09 081950Z JAN 09
C. CANFORGEN 096/09 CMP 042/09 201315Z MAY 09
1. FURTHER TO REF A, AFC HAS DETERMINED THAT THE USE OF THE EXISTING 
NATO AND EXPEDTION BARS TO THE SPECIAL SERVICE MEDAL IS THE MOST 
APPROPRIATE AND TIMELY METHOD TO RECOGNIZE SERVICE WITH OPS 
REASSURANCE AND UNIFIER RESPECTIVELY. HOWEVER, THE CDS HAS DIRECTED 
THE CF HONOURS POLICY COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A HOLISTIC REVIEW OF THE 
SERVICE RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK AND INTENDS TO RECOMMEND TO THE 
GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES THAT THE TIME CRITERIA FOR CERTAIN MEDALS BE 
AMENDED IN DUE COURSE
2. CONSEQUENTLY, AFC HAS APPROVED THE ADDITION OF THE FOL SERVICE TO 
THE ELIGIBILITY LISTS FOR CERTAIN CAMPAIGN AND SERVICE MEDALS, AS 



PAGE 2 RCCLHBF2018 UNCLAS CANFORGEN
FOLLOWS:
A. SPECIAL SERVICE MEDAL-NATO (SSM-NATO):

(1) SERVICE OF CAF MEMBERS WHO DEPLOYED TO CAMPIA TURZII, ROMANIA, 
LITHUANIA AND SPANGDAHLEM AIRBASE IN GERMANY AS PART OF THE AIR TASK 
FORCE (ATF), INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE NATO BALTIC AIR PATROL 
(BAP), SINCE 29 APRIL 2014 (OP REASSURANCE). NO MULTIPLYING FACTOR

(2) SERVICE OF CAF MEMBERS WHO DEPLOYED TO EASTERN AND CENTRAL 
EUROPE AS PART OF THE LAND TASK FORCE (LTF), SINCE 29 APRIL 2014 (OP 
REASSURANCE). NO MULTIPLYING FACTOR

(3) SERVICE OF CAF MEMBERS WHO SERVED ONBOARD HMC SHIPS IN THE 
MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEAS UNDER NATO SNMG2, SINCE 29 APRIL 2014 
(OP REASSURANCE), PROVIDED THE SERVICE IS NOT COUNTED TOWARDS A NATO 
MEDAL. NO MULTIPLYING FACTOR. ONLY TIME SPENT UNDER NATO COMMAND IS 
ELIGIBLE - TRANSIT TIME DOES NOT COUNT. SERVICE UNDER NATO OPS 
ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR AND SEA GUARDIAN COUNTS TOWARDS THE APPROPRIATE 
NATO MEDALS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED NUMERALS AND NOT FOR THE SSM-NATO

(4) SERVICE OF CAF MEMBERS DEPLOYED TO FORWARD LOGISTICS SITES (FLS) 
IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF HMC SHIPS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEAS 
UNDER NATO SNMG2 (WHEN THE SHIPS ARE NOT UNDER OPS ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR 
OR SEA GUARDIAN), SINCE 29 APRIL 2014 (OP REASSURANCE). NO
MULTIPLYING FACTOR

(5) SERVICE OF CAF MEMBERS IN LATVIA AS PART OR IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF 
THE ENHANCED FORWARD PRESENCE (EFP) BATTLEGROUP LATVIA, SINCE 22 APR 
2017 (OP REASSURANCE). NO MULTIPLYING FACTOR

B.SPECIAL SERVICE MEDAL-EXPEDITION (SSM-EXP):

(1) SERVICE OF CAF MEMBERS WHO DEPLOYED TO UKRAINE TO PROVIDE 
MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO THE UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES, SINCE 13 JUNE 
2015 (OP UNIFIER)

3. FULL CRITERIA AS WELL AS COMPLETE ELIGIBILITY LISTS MAY BE FOUND 
ON THE DH R WEB SITE AT HTTP://FORCES.GC.CA/EN/HONOURS-HISTORY-
MEDALS-CHART/MEDALS-CHART-INDEX.PAGE

4. GIVEN THE TIME THAT HAS ELAPSED SINCE REF A AND TO ENSURE THE 
MEDALS WILL BE SENT TO THE RECIPIENT S CURRENT UNIT IN A TIMELY 
MANNER, ALL APPLICATIONS FOR THE SSM-NATO BASED ON OP REASSURANCE 
SERVICE SUBMITTED BEFORE THE PROMULGATION OF REF A HAVE BEEN 
CANCELLED AND UNITS SHALL MAKE NEW APPLICATIONS FOR THEIR ELIGIBLE 
PERS IAW REFS B AND C
END OF ENGLISH TEXT /


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