Welcome to the Orders, Decorations and Medals
Website, which we update every Sunday. The
website consists of links to latest news items and websites
related
to medals. Old news items are transferred to the Medals
by Country section. The
accuracy of
information in news items and websites should only be used as a
starting point for research using reliable primary sources. We hope you
enjoy your visit.
Breaking News
United States - Former Navy Swimmer Awarded Bronze StarMedalFormer
Navy swimming All-American Cmdr. Sara Saltzstein was presented with the
Bronze Star Medal by Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates during
his visit to the Naval Academy on April 7. Dr. Saltzstein, who
currently serves as the Brigade Medical Officer and as the officer
representative for the women's swimming team, received the citation for
her service at the U.S. Army's Camp Clark in Khowst, Afghanistan. She
was deployed to the camp as its Embedded Training Team Medical Mentor
and Officer in Charge of Troop Medical Clinic for a 13-month period
that ended in December, 2008. Her citation reads as follows: "For
exceptionally meritorious service while deployed to a combat theater in
support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as the Camp Clark Senior Medical
Officer and Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator, Combined Security
Transition Command-Afghanistan. Commander Saltzstein's leadership,
drive and initiative resulted in outstanding medical support to the
Afghan Army advisor mission and contributed directly to the success of
the counterinsurgency operations ion Khowst and Paktya Provinces. Her
performance of duty in an austere combat environment reflects distinct
credit upon her, the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan
and the United States Navy." navysports.com 12 Apr 10
Thailand - Foreign Minister Kasit participates in the Royal...On
11 April 2010, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya accompanied Deputy Prime
Minister Trirong Suwannakhiri to present the Royal Decoration of “Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand”
and the Royal Thai Army’s Master Aviation Badge to Major Ladda
Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental
Affairs, US Department of Veteran Affairs.Major
Ladda is a Thai-American national, whose sacrifice and bravery during
her military service in the US Army, brought fame to Thailand and also
enhanced the relationship between the two countries. Even with her
disability from the tour of duty in Iraq, Maj. Ladda still devoted
herself to the public service and was appointed the Assistant
Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, US Department of
Veteran Affairs, on 3 February 2009. On 22 September 2009, His Majesty
the King of Thailand bestowed the Royal Decoration of “Knight
Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of
Thailand” to her. siamdailynews.com 12 Apr 10
Seychelles - Officers of Seychelles People's Defense Forces honored for hostage rescuePresident James Michel, the Commander-in-Chief, has decorated 17 officers of the Topaz with the medal of the Order of Honor of the Seychelles People’s Defense Forces for the heroic action they undertook to rescue the 6 Seychellois fishermen and 21 Iranians from the hands of 9 Somali pirates on March 29, 2010. President
Michel also presented Certificates of Merit to the officers of the
Tazar unit and the Seychelles Coast Guard Command Centre for their
support effort during the operation. eturbonews.com 11 Apr 10
Fiji - Hero's rewardAnother
Fiji-born soldier serving in the British Army was awarded for his
bravery while on duty in Afghanistan. Corporal Henry Edward Sanday
of the Rifles Regiment was awarded the Queens Commendation for Bravery (QCB). Sanday
won the award while serving as a section commander with a battalion of
the Rifles Regiment that served in Afghanistan in 2009. Cpl Sanday joined the British Army in 2002 and has served in Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Iraq and more recently in Afghanistan.
The
following news items are for information purposes and will not be
archived:
Canada - Changes to Regulations for Overseas ServiceThe Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, announced changes to the South-West Asia Service Medal (SWASM), the General Campaign StarGeneral Service Medal
(GSM). These changes were introduced following a major review of all
recognition provided for overseas service in order to simplify and
standardize overseas recognition for Canadian Forces (CF) personnel. (GCS) and the
The creation of a formal device to recognize those who serve multiple
rotations in missions eligible for the SWASM, the GCS and the GSM was
key in this review. Rotation bars have been created to mark multiple
rotations in missions eligible for the three medals. Personnel will
earn a rotation bar emblazoned with a maple leaf for each period of 180
days of eligible service accumulated after the initial qualifying
period of 30 days. With the addition of rotation bars, mission bars
will no longer be worn on the GCS and GSM. Instead, the medals will be
displayed on ribbons that indicate the theatre or service for which the
medal was awarded. This ensures that all service in a defined theatre
of operations is accorded the same recognition, regardless of the
mission. Additional changes include an adjustment in the criteria to
receive the GSM for a support function, from 90 to 30 days, and the
establishment of three distinct ribbons for the GCS and GSM. The
South-West Asia ribbon, the Allied Force ribbon to replace the Allied
Force bar and the Expedition ribbon to recognize smaller operations
conducted in the presence of an armed enemy.
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