New Iraqi Awards

[Paul R]

Thanks Ed!

Also, is there any word on the average Joe getting an Iraqi medal of any type(like the soldiers did in Vietnam and Desert Storm)?

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks Ed!

Also, is there any word on the average Joe getting an Iraqi medal of any type(like the soldiers did in Vietnam and Desert Storm)?

None that I have heard. Suspect the Iraqi "government" has more major issues to worry about?

[Paul R]

I suppose they do!

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

US General David Petraeus has appeared in official snaps wearing a mystery (Iraqi?) ribbon. He has just taken over as commander of the multinational force in Iraq.

To me it looks like the French M?daille comm?morative Fran?aise. I am not sure if US military are authorized to wear Iraqi medals at all.

M?daille comm?morative Fran?aise:

(credit: France-phaleristique)

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

I see Ed's thread on Afghanistan. Seen anything on Iraq yet?

Here is then-Brig. Gen. Edward Gruszka, former deputy commander of MND-CS (and now a major general commanding MND-CS). I would guess that the red-white-black ribbon is Iraqi. No idea what medal it represents.

This is the Multinational Division Central-South Commemorative Medal:

More here:

http://www.medals.lava.pl/pl/pl4b3.htm#mmndcs

[Ed_Haynes]

To me it looks like the French M?daille comm?morative Fran?aise. I am not sure if US military are authorized to wear Iraqi medals at all.

M?daille comm?morative Fran?aise:

(credit: France-phaleristique)

Yes, Lukasz, that was exactly my thought, but I can't imagine how he would have been authorised to wear that one. Maybe the Iraqi "government" just bought some surplus French ribbon? I know some Afghan awards are going to US folks, so why not Iraq too. Authorization to wear in the US is a pretty easy hurdle to jump (unlike, say, the UK).

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

This is what Wiki says abut Gen. Petraeus career:

During 2001-02, as a brigadier general, Petraeus served a ten-month tour in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of Operation Joint Forge. In Bosnia, he was the NATO Stabilization Force Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations as well as the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Joint Interagency Counter-Terrorism Task Force, a command created after the September 11 attacks to add a counterterrorism capability to the U.S. forces in Bosnia.

The Joint Forge operation was part SFOR/KFOR in the former Yugoslavia. As France was also participated in SFOR/KFOR, the General may have received the French medal just then. Notice that he is wearing the "Ex-Yugoslavia" ribbon of the NATO Medal next to it.

General Petraeus ribbon rack I made:

[Ed_Haynes]

I think the NATO is actually the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, but your point about the potential French ribbon in last place stands.

[kimj]

Anybody know if the Kurdish part of Iraq has any unofficial medals?

By the way, Ed your PM box is full.

/Kim

[Ed_Haynes]

Good question. I know of nothing. I suspect the Kurds are approaching the whole "independence" business with some care, especially if they have any awareness of what the Turkish response will be.

PM box now has space, but it fills soooo quickly.

[Ed_Haynes]

A nice article has just been published, "The New Iraqi Medals", a combination by the editor ( ) of material submitted by Owain Raw-Rees and Edward Emering, Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America, 58, 6 (November-December 2007): 34-35.

[Steve Russell]

Petraeus' picture above shows him as a Lt. Gen. not General. Given that, this ribbon in last place does not make sense to be Iraqi. Although he did serve there as both a Major General and a Lt. General, it is likely French, given his French Airborne wings he is wearing. He obviously had some exercise or some posting connection with them during his airborne stints. However, no French decoration is listed in his bio. Confusing. Steve

Edited January 7, 2008 by Steve Russell