Sacrifice Medal Mega Thread

[Greymatters]

Does Canada record those of us that made the sacrifice and lived.  Are the wounded, who lived, recorded o tell the story of us Canadians that have shed blood in the service of the nation?

If not, then Im sure someone will eventually write a book about it...

 

[geo]

Hear hear.

I have been recognized, for receiveing 7 (seven) bullets that ripped apart my body.

I serverd and almost died, and all I get is freaking felt gold stripe.  I can be humble like the next Canadian who served, but for the love of Pete, can they not recognize us cold warriors?

Would it truly bankrupt the Canadian Government to back date the medal?

Disgusting.....end my rant.   It has nothing to do with me being selfish, more so with the Government moving on from past mistakes.  And we are the flotsam and jetsam of their mission.

I might as well spark up the iltis in the war museum and park it on my front lawn!!!

dileas

tess

Tess,
getting the medal "coined" in the 1st place was one hurdle to pass.
Now that it does exist, steps can be taken to petition the gov't to backdate further..... should you want to pursue that particular matter.

Good luck

CHIMO!

 

[Franko]

I might as well spark up the iltis in the war museum and park it on my front lawn!!!

Why not? You paid for it in spades, kinda like the fella selling stolen kit on eBay          ;D

Regards

 

[jollyjacktar]

Personally I hope that I am never put into the position of deciding on the pros and cons of wearing such an award.  From what I have read of posts of those here who have been recognised thusly it is not commensurate with the price paid in blood.

Speaking as a Navy git, the wound stripe is more of an Army ideal.  It would look strange on my Carnival Cruise Line outfit and be the cause of endless explanations to the great unwashed here in the Fleet.  A medal would perhaps be less so intrusive, of course as pointed out the stripe was optional in it's wearing and the issue could be ducked that way if desired.

Could you not make it clear to command that you would not wish an application be made on your behalf for the medal if you were to qualify for one?

 

[geo]

I would contend that this new medal should be given the option of "drawer liner"... same way as my 125th Jubilee medal sits in its box in my dresser drawer... forever and ever... amen!

Give it to the individual who has paid the price... and let him make up his own mind up - to wear or NOT

 

[the 48th regulator]

I would contend that this new medal should be given the option of "drawer liner"... same way as my 125th Jubilee medal sits in its box in my dresser drawer... forever and ever... amen!

Give it to the individual who has paid the price... and let him make up his own mind up - to wear or NOT

I disagree with this ideology.

If it comes down to deciding what we wear on our uniforms, then we have broken down the reason why we serve.

We wear our medals, as a method for Canada to recognize what we as Canadians as a whole represent.  Those of us that have volunteered to serve our country, have done so knowing the risk, and Canada has decided to recognize our sacrifice by doing so.  They do this with an age old distinction of medals.

The moment we decide, on our own, what is fitting to pin on our bodies, disrespects our nations acknowledgement our our duty.  As trivial as we see these pieces of recognition, they belong to Canada's distinct view.

My rant is about the fact that a wound stripe, as historical as it is, is not recognized as a dress distinction.  It is as if a wound is a fault of the soldier.  Finally Canada has decided to recognize the fact that, we as soldiers, need to be acknowledged for our sacrifice.  Remember the only difference between the fallen that we respect, and those that survive, are only separated by a thin barrier!  We have stayed here on this Earth, while they have journeyed on.

For the Government to set time limits, to me trivializes the act of the great "Hurdle".  Again, the moment we as soldiers pick and choose what we can wear, flies in the face of this hypocrisy.

We must have pride in what we do, what we have shown to have done, and what we bring to the Canadian public.  It is about high time the government recognizes this, and follows our example.

dileas

tess

 

[rwgill]

Tess, for what it's worth, I support you.

Why don't you apply for it?  The worse they can say is no, then you can appeal through more public means.  I am quite sure that you are not the only veteran who has had to fight for something they deserve.

 

[the 48th regulator]

Tess, for what it's worth, I support you.

Why don't you apply for it?  The worse they can say is no, then you can appeal through more public means.  I am quite sure that you are not the only veteran who has had to fight for something they deserve.

Cheers and thanks Brother.

It is the fact, that once again, a citizen has to apply and educate the Government.

Every aggresive military action, by us soldiers serving as peackeepers was hidden, and it just appears that the current government is no different.

dileas

tess

 

[Skynewf]

As Of the 28 Aug 08 the wound stripe will not apply in the CF. The Sacrifice Medal(SM) will be issued.

http://www.gg.ca/honours/medals/hon04-sm_e.asp

PTSD casse are covered on a case by case

"MENTAL DISORDERS THAT ARE DIAGNOSED ACCORDING TO THE CRITERIA SET OUT IN THE QUOTE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS UNQUOTE, PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, AND BASED ON A REVIEW BY A QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER, ARE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO A HOSTILE OR PERCEIVED HOSTILE ACTION"

 

[daftandbarmy]

The ANA Vets enter the fray...


2008 DOMINION CONVENTION
SUPPLEMENTARY RESOLUTION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CANADIAN FORCES SACRIFICE MEDAL

WHEREAS the Canadian Forces Directorate of Honours and Recognition have recently announced the Sacrifice Medal for the following purpose:
“The Sacrifice Medal was created in the context of increased casualties in overseas operations to fulfill the desire of Canadians and the Government to provide formal recognition, through the award of an official medal emanating from the Crown, to those who are killed or wounded by hostile action. This honour replaces the Wound Stripe.”; and

WHEREAS this award is only retroactive to October, 2001; and

WHEREAS there are many who have made the same sort of sacrifice while engaged in military operations abroad prior to this date; and

WHEREAS this is a insult for the many who have put themselves in harms way in support of Canadian Government policy, and a slap in the face for those who have made the same sacrifices that this medal represents, but have been specifically excluded from this recognition; and

WHEREAS there does not appear to be any logical reason for insulting those who have made the same sacrifice prior to October 7, 2001;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that ANAVETS should petition the government to extend the parameters of this medal to include those deserving prior to October 7, 2001.

 

[CountDC]

The ANA Vets enter the fray...


2008 DOMINION CONVENTION
SUPPLEMENTARY RESOLUTION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CANADIAN FORCES SACRIFICE MEDAL

WHEREAS the Canadian Forces Directorate of Honours and Recognition have recently announced the Sacrifice Medal for the following purpose:
“The Sacrifice Medal was created in the context of increased casualties in overseas operations to fulfill the desire of Canadians and the Government to provide formal recognition, through the award of an official medal emanating from the Crown, to those who are killed or wounded by hostile action. This honour replaces the Wound Stripe.”; and

WHEREAS there does not appear to be any logical reason for insulting those who have made the same sacrifice prior to October 7, 2001;

logic is a matter of perspective.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

I guess no matter how one feels they are here, but a toast to hoping they all sit rusting away in room somewhere never having to be used........

 

[Neill McKay]

I was surprised that it would be backdated at all, much less that far back.  Had they said "as of today, anyone injured in the service of Her Majesty etc. will be eligible for the Sacrifice Medal and awarding of wound stripes will cease" there'd be no issue.  Going back to what appears to be an arbitrary date seven years ago seems to leave room for argument over just what that date should be, and while I'm sure the argument can be settled easily enough it's still evidently causing some ill feelings.

 

[rwgill]

I guess no matter how one feels they are here, but a toast to hoping they all sit rusting away in room somewhere never having to be used........

I'll drink to that! :cheers:

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

I agree there should have been an "as of this date" using the DTG of the canforgen to set the time limit for the award and the stripe,  think about the reason why anytime must be set for a second.  Canada has used the wound stripe through how many wars,  to leave a blanket back date, you will have the grandkids and great grandkids of former soldiers looking for medals.  Now I still don't think this was a particularly good idea switching to the new medal.  The wound stripe IMO was fine and it was indeed up to the member to either wear them, or not.

 

[geo]

FWIW, I would propose that ANY living soldier or ex soldier who so desires one should receive his chance to get one.

Offer not open to the estate of former, deceased soldiers.

 

[rwgill]

The date bothers me, but I do agree with some sort of time limit/conditions.  The Canadian Honours system was born in 1967.  Being a Canadian award, 1967 is perhaps a more logical date.  If conditions were limited to injured soldiers being required to apply themselves (no posthumous presentations) and automatic presentations to families of soldiers killed in action, we may only be talking about a couple of hundred additional medals.

This is based upon my opinion and at present, my limited knowledge of how many soldiers have been injured while on a CF mission.

 

[the 48th regulator]

The date was set because that is the date that Canada formally committed to participating in the Global War on Terror.

No, that is not why the date was picked.  It was based on the proposal date of the medal;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080830.MEDAL30/TPStory/National

According to Ms. Thorn, the Rideau Hall spokeswoman, there is a five-year retroactive eligibility for awards, counting from the time an honour is initially proposed. That allows the Sacrifice Medal to be backdated to the start of the Afghan conflict, but doesn't allow it to apply to casualties from Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia and the Gulf War.

dileas

tess

 

[brihard]

No, that is not why the date was picked.  It was based on the proposal date of the medal;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080830.MEDAL30/TPStory/National

According to Ms. Thorn, the Rideau Hall spokeswoman, there is a five-year retroactive eligibility for awards, counting from the time an honour is initially proposed. That allows the Sacrifice Medal to be backdated to the start of the Afghan conflict, but doesn't allow it to apply to casualties from Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia and the Gulf War.

dileas

tess

Uh, Tess, five years doesn't bring us back to the start of Afghanistan. Five years retroactive brings us back to '03, while our first fatalities were incurred in April '02, and likely we had wounded prior to that.

The Sacrifice medal is retroactive to October 7th, 2001. Even if you go by the date the first official proposal for the medal was, made, I doubt it so exactly fits with five years after the start of the invasion. The medal criteria has been set so that it starts with Afghanistan, you are correct in that, but the normal five year term has clearly been jiggled a little bit so as to accomplish this.

 

[rwgill]

It is retroactive, 5 years before the proposal date.  This thread began Sep 27, 2006.  The effective date for the medal in Oct 7, 2001..................5 years before this thread began and the idea was conceived.