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No ‘Boy Scout‘ medals for us: Canadian troops
Chris Wattie
National Post
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan are upset over plans to issue them with a NATO medal they call the "Boy Scout medal" for their tours of duty in the war-torn Asian nation.
Opposition critics said yesterday the federal Liberals are short-changing the Canadian troops serving with the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul and understating the dangers and difficulties involved in the mission by allowing only a NATO medal to be awarded for the six-month mission.
NATO, which took command of ISAF earlier this year, is expected to formally announce later this month it will award its "Non-Article 5" medal to all those serving in the 31-nation force.
The 1,900 Canadian soldiers serving with ISAF have already been told they will receive the NATO award for their six-month tours in Afghanistan, but many of the troops say they do not want it.
The "Non-Article 5" medal is for service with NATO missions that are not considered combat or wartime operations, but the soldiers of the Canadian battlegroup in Kabul say that does not reflect the dangers they are facing every day in the Afghan capital.
"The NATO medal‘s what you get for directing traffic in Bosnia," said one Canadian non-commissioned officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We‘re over here dodging rocket attacks and car bombs."
Last Thursday, a rocket slammed into the Canadian compound at the main ISAF camp in northern Kabul and narrowly missed tents where Canadian soldiers and civilian workers were sleeping.
Jay Hill, the defence critic for the Canadian Alliance, said the troops deserve better than a NATO medal for their service. "I don‘t think it‘s good enough," he said.
"We should take the time to design our own medal and ribbon to recognize the size and importance of this ISAF commitment, the sacrifices they‘ve made to do this and the risk involved."
Mr. Hill said because the ISAF commitment is the largest deployment by Canada‘s cash-strapped military in years, it should be marked by a Canadian decoration.
"They shouldn‘t get a medal that would get lost in the clutter of other decorations.The troops deserve a Canadian-only medal to recognize their service."
Most of the soldiers favour a Canadian medal to recognize their service with ISAF, either a new decoration or a version of the Southwest Asia Service Medal awarded to those who participated in Operation Apollo, the Canadian contribution to the war on terror in 2001-02.
"The guys want some recognition," said one officer, who did not want his name used. "And they‘ve got a point: The NATO medal just doesn‘t cut it."
Elsie Wayne, the Conservative defence critic, said the troops in Kabul deserve whatever medal they want for their service. "They‘ve put their lives on the line and some of them may not make it home," she said.
"This is a dangerous mission they‘re involved in and that needs to be recognized.... If they want their own medal, then that‘s what they should get."
Since the Canadians took over responsibility for their sprawling "Sector West" -- almost half of the city and its outlying villages -- there have been almost daily reports of planned car bombings or suicide attacks against ISAF troops.
Major General Andrew Leslie, the second in command of ISAF and the senior Canadian in Kabul, has rated the Afghanistan mission "a solid four" out of five in terms of danger to the troops.
A spokesman for John McCallum, the Defence Minister, said any decision on which medal to award the troops serving in Afghanistan would rest with the Canadian Forces, which has a joint committee with the Department of Foreign Affairs to decide on foreign honours and awards.
John Knoll, a spokesman for the military, said NATO has not yet announced its decision on which medal to hand out to ISAF troops, but said alliance headquarters in Brussels would decide the issue.
"It‘s a NATO mission, so its entirely appropriate for them to issue the medal," he said.
[email protected]
© Copyright 2003 National Post
Chris Wattie
National Post
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan are upset over plans to issue them with a NATO medal they call the "Boy Scout medal" for their tours of duty in the war-torn Asian nation.
Opposition critics said yesterday the federal Liberals are short-changing the Canadian troops serving with the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul and understating the dangers and difficulties involved in the mission by allowing only a NATO medal to be awarded for the six-month mission.
NATO, which took command of ISAF earlier this year, is expected to formally announce later this month it will award its "Non-Article 5" medal to all those serving in the 31-nation force.
The 1,900 Canadian soldiers serving with ISAF have already been told they will receive the NATO award for their six-month tours in Afghanistan, but many of the troops say they do not want it.
The "Non-Article 5" medal is for service with NATO missions that are not considered combat or wartime operations, but the soldiers of the Canadian battlegroup in Kabul say that does not reflect the dangers they are facing every day in the Afghan capital.
"The NATO medal‘s what you get for directing traffic in Bosnia," said one Canadian non-commissioned officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We‘re over here dodging rocket attacks and car bombs."
Last Thursday, a rocket slammed into the Canadian compound at the main ISAF camp in northern Kabul and narrowly missed tents where Canadian soldiers and civilian workers were sleeping.
Jay Hill, the defence critic for the Canadian Alliance, said the troops deserve better than a NATO medal for their service. "I don‘t think it‘s good enough," he said.
"We should take the time to design our own medal and ribbon to recognize the size and importance of this ISAF commitment, the sacrifices they‘ve made to do this and the risk involved."
Mr. Hill said because the ISAF commitment is the largest deployment by Canada‘s cash-strapped military in years, it should be marked by a Canadian decoration.
"They shouldn‘t get a medal that would get lost in the clutter of other decorations.The troops deserve a Canadian-only medal to recognize their service."
Most of the soldiers favour a Canadian medal to recognize their service with ISAF, either a new decoration or a version of the Southwest Asia Service Medal awarded to those who participated in Operation Apollo, the Canadian contribution to the war on terror in 2001-02.
"The guys want some recognition," said one officer, who did not want his name used. "And they‘ve got a point: The NATO medal just doesn‘t cut it."
Elsie Wayne, the Conservative defence critic, said the troops in Kabul deserve whatever medal they want for their service. "They‘ve put their lives on the line and some of them may not make it home," she said.
"This is a dangerous mission they‘re involved in and that needs to be recognized.... If they want their own medal, then that‘s what they should get."
Since the Canadians took over responsibility for their sprawling "Sector West" -- almost half of the city and its outlying villages -- there have been almost daily reports of planned car bombings or suicide attacks against ISAF troops.
Major General Andrew Leslie, the second in command of ISAF and the senior Canadian in Kabul, has rated the Afghanistan mission "a solid four" out of five in terms of danger to the troops.
A spokesman for John McCallum, the Defence Minister, said any decision on which medal to award the troops serving in Afghanistan would rest with the Canadian Forces, which has a joint committee with the Department of Foreign Affairs to decide on foreign honours and awards.
John Knoll, a spokesman for the military, said NATO has not yet announced its decision on which medal to hand out to ISAF troops, but said alliance headquarters in Brussels would decide the issue.
"It‘s a NATO mission, so its entirely appropriate for them to issue the medal," he said.
[email protected]
© Copyright 2003 National Post
