Sacrifice Medal Criteria to Be Reviewed
| 11/6/2008 | Posted by Patti under General |
Back in July the Governor General approved a new medal for our forces. The Sacrifice Medal was meant to replace the often understated ‘wound stripes’ worn be Canadian Forces personnel when they were wounded. The new medal was to cover wounds as the direct result of hostile action and could be earned posthumously. It also includes those who suffer PTSD as a result of hostile action.
Sounded pretty straightforward until one pays attention to the fact that it is only back dated to October 2001. That pretty much corresponds with Canada’s arrival in Afghanistan and very effectively cuts out those who would have earned it in Korea or the wide range of peacekeeping missions Canada has been part of.
Seems to me if you are going to backdate an award, you need to put some thought into how far back you are going to take it. Some former forces fellows have said they feel like the date ignores the fact the Canadian military existed before 2001. While we are acutely aware of the losses Canada has suffered in Afghanistan, we tend to be unaware of the almost 200 Canadians killed on peacekeeping duty.
Our peacekeepers have served in some extremely hostile environments with terms of engagement that would make the average Canadian dive for cover. They served with honour and distinction, making the best of bad situations their government placed them in. If we can honour some of those fine men and women by acknowledging the wounds they received, then backdate this medal to include them.
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