Canadian - Star of Military Valour Awards

[Guest Darrell]

http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pag...ticleID=2552627

[Laurence Strong]

Terms

The Star of Military Valour is the second highest Military Valour Decoration of Canada. It "shall be awarded for distinguished and valiant service in the presence of the enemy."

Bar

Each subsequent award of the Star will be indicated by a plain gold bar with a maple leaf in the centre attached to the ribbon from which the medal is suspended.

Description

The Star of Military Valour consists of a gold star with four points with a maple leaf in each of the angles.

Obverse

The front side shows a gold maple leaf superimposed in the centre on a sanguine field surrounded by a silver wreath of laurel.

Reverse

The reverse shows the Royal Cypher and Crown with the inscription "PRO VALORE".

Ribbon

The medal will be worn on the left breast of the uniform, suspended from a ribbon. Recipients may wear a miniature version of the Decorations on all occasion when it is customary.

Naming

The rank and the name of the recipient is engraved below the "PRO VALORE" inscription.

Dates

A formal request for the creation of a family of Military Valour Decorations was signed by the Prime Minister of Canada on December 31, 1992. The Queen approved the Letters Patent on February 2, 1993.

History

As part of the Canadian honours system, a family of three Military Valour Decorations, comprising the Victoria Cross (VC), the Star of Military Valour (SMV) and the Medal of Military Valour (MMV) has been designated and styled. These medals are being incorporated into the Canadian honours and awards system to enable Canada to recognize members of the Canadian Forces, or members of an allied armed force serving with or in conjunction with the CF, for deeds of military valour.

As part of the British Empire and later Commonwealth, Canada relied on the British honours system to recognize service members for gallantry in battle. Since the Second World War, Canada developed its own honour system, and expanded it considerably in the late 1960's and early 1970's. For example, in 1972 Canada developed its own decoration for bravery in peacetime. However, a set of Canadian honours recognizing gallantry by military personnel in the presence of an enemy was not established.

Eligibility

For all three Military Valour Decorations, recipients must be a member of the Canadian Forces or a member of an allied armed force that is serving with or in conjunction with the Canadian Forces, on or after January 1, 1993. Military Valour Decorations can be awarded posthumously.

A person must be recommended by the Military Valour Decoration Advisory Committee. This committee is made up of one person appointed by the Governor General, and five CF members appointed by the Chief of Defence Staff. Field commanders can also grant Military Valour Decorations, but they must first have the Governor General's approval.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm...enu/group02/smv

Well done to them

Edited February 20, 2007 by Laurence Strong

[Pylon1357]

Thanks for that link. In issue 1/07 dated 31 January 2007 of the CFPN (Canadian Forces Personnel Newsletter) Sgt. P. Tower is recognized as being awarded the Star of Military Merit. It is nice to have a more detailed account of his deeds. In the CFPN is states the following>>>>

Sergeant P. Tower, for valour and extreme devotion to duty under intense enemy fire when he led the evacuation of casualties as a result of an enemy attack, Task Force Afghanistan, August 3, 1006.

[Guest Darrell]

There was a short story on the local news tonight showing the soldiers receiving their awards. I must say they do look nice. However, the newscaster made mention that this was the "highest" military award for valor

I guess he's never heard of the VC huh?

[Laurence Strong]

Maj. Fletcher was recognized for demonstrating extraordinary bravery during his times in Afghanistan from January to August 2006. He repeatedly exposed himself to intense fire while leading his forces, on foot, to assault heavily defended enemy positions.

"His selfless courage, tactical acumen and effective command were pivotal to the success of his company in defeating a determined opponent," reads the citation.

[Laurence Strong]

Sgt. Tower was recognized for the actions he took in August 2006, in the Pashmul region of Afghanistan.

Following a devastating strike against a "friendly position" that killed or injured a number of soldiers, including one of Tower's closest friends, he assembled the platoon medic and a third soldier and led them across 150 metres of open terrain, under heavy enemy fire, to help.

On learning that the acting platoon commander had been killed, Tower assumed command and led the extraction of the force, under continuous small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Tower's courage and selfless devotion to duty contributed directly to the survival of the remaining platoon members.

Corp. John David Makela, Sgt. Michael Thomas Victor Denine, Capt. Derek Prohar and Maj. Michael Charles Wright received the Medal of Military Valour.

Hope this helps

[Guest Darrell]

Great pic Larry

[Pylon1357]

Many thanks for the more detailed information on this award. I would like to see more of this reported in our news as opposed to the usual mucky mucky about why our troops should be brought home.

Again, thanks for the additaional information. Great picture to boot.

[Gerd Becker]

I think, thats a beautiful designed award Is that real gold and is that a seperate gold leaf in the center? The red background is that enamel?

Looks niiiiice!!!

Gerd

[Guest Darrell]

I think, thats a beautiful designed award Is that real gold and is that a seperate gold leaf in the center? The red background is that enamel?

Looks niiiiice!!!

Gerd

Yeppers. Solid Gold

[Ed_Haynes]

A nice award, to be sure!

[Laurence Strong]

Pride mixed with great sorrow for grieving Calgary father Tim Goddard yesterday, when his daughter's courage and sacrifice on the Afghanistan battlefield were posthumously recognized with the Canadian military's Meritorious Service Medal.

Capt. Nichola Goddard, 26, died last May after a long battle with Taliban insurgents west of Kandahar, making the young artillery captain Canada's first female combat casualty.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2007/0...647304-sun.html

Edited February 20, 2007 by Laurence Strong

[Guest Darrell]

You wonder just how close these guys came to claiming the "big" one? VC.

[Laurence Strong]

I have a feeling the VC will become a posthumous award from now on.

Edited February 20, 2007 by Laurence Strong

[Ed_Haynes]

Everywhere??

[Jacky]

Or must be a really near-dead case.

As was with Private Beharry, many shells in his head etc.....

Well, the VC is considered the highest decoration,

but I get sometimes the feeling that a general doesn't really want

to get outranked by a simple private wearing the VC.

Many stories of extraordinary bravery have found their ways to us by the press,

but many cases are considered "just short of VC" or given the GC instead because it's not an official war.

Sad...

[Laurence Strong]

Everywhere??

I don't know Ed, just a gut feeling for Canada anyways....we now have our own medals for Valour and I really think thats going to be about the only way.

[Ed_Haynes]

I don't know Ed, just a gut feeling for Canada anyways....we now have our own medals for Valour and I really think thats going to be about the only way.

Yes. And I think the Australian and New Zealand attitude is much the same, so the VC (as a UK-specific award [perhaps appropriately?]) may be an endangered species (not from lack of wars -- which might not be a bad thing -- but from changes in policy).

Bihari (or whoever his family spells his name now) may be the last living recipient??

Edited February 20, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Guest Darrell]

Bihari (or whoever his family spells his name now) may be the last living recipient??

Actually a Brit was awarded the VC just last year for actions in Iraq. Or do you mean non-British Ed?

Edited February 20, 2007 by Darrell

[Ed_Haynes]

Actually a Brit was awarded the VC just last year for actions in Iraq. Or do you mean non-British Ed?

Did he survive to receive it or was it posthumous?

I know there have been some GCs, but others than Bihari to live to get the VC? (And Bihari is a "Brit", officially. Though there maybe a poltical dimension here. The BNP surely thinks so. Gag.)

I'm working from memory here, which is always dangerous, so I may be wrong. Any other surviving Iraqi/Afghan VCs???

[Guest Darrell]

Did he survive to receive it or was it posthumous?

I know there have been some GCs, but others than Bihari to live to get the VC? (And Bihari is a "Brit", officially. Though there maybe a poltical dimension here. The BNP surely thinks so. Gag.)

I'm working from memory here, which is always dangerous, so I may be wrong. Any other surviving Iraqi/Afghan VCs???

There was one fellow Postumously awarded the VC (supposed to happen this month I believe) however, the following is the living recipient won in 2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_Beharry

Quick Summary .... appears there are some others that are still living from Vietnam and the Falklands:

First recipient of the VC in over 20 years

Beharry is the first recipient of the Victoria Cross since the posthumous awards to Lieutenant Colonel H. Jones and Sergeant Ian John McKay for service in the Falklands War in 1982. He is the first living recipient of the VC since Keith Payne and Rayene Stewart Simpson, both Australian, for actions in Vietnam in 1969, and the first living recipient of the VC in the British Army since Rambahadur Limbu, a Gurkha, in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in 1965. As of 26 June 2006, he is one of only 12 living recipients of the VC, and the youngest.

Edited February 21, 2007 by Darrell

[Ed_Haynes]

There was one fellow Postumously awarded the VC (supposed to happen this month I believe) however, the following is the living recipient won in 2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_Beharry

Right! This is the sole living recipient I have spoken of. We are in agreement, then?

[Guest Darrell]

It says he's one of 12 living recipients as of 2006. I'm not sure what that number is today?

[Ed_Haynes]

It says he's one of 12 living recipients as of 2006. I'm not sure what that number is today?

Not sure, either. But he is the sole surviving recipient post-Falkands/Malvinas. So far at least . . . but I do wonder if policies have changed so much that he wind up as the last living awardee. (Similar problems with the US MoH.)

But all of this gets us from the significant recent Canadian awards, . . . .

[Guest Darrell]

Not sure, either. But he is the sole surviving recipient post-Falkands/Malvinas. So far at least . . . but I do wonder if policies have changed so much that he wind up as the last living awardee. (Similar problems with the US MoH.)

But all of this gets us from the significant recent Canadian awards, . . . .

But, there are NO surviving members of the "Canadian" Military that are VC winners. That old fellow died last year

Edited February 21, 2007 by Darrell