Netherlands New clasp for the Commemorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations

[ErikMuller]

The Dutch Commemorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations has it?s 33rd clasp: ?MULTINATIONALE OPERATIES? (Multionational Operations) instituted by Ministerial Decree of 15 May, 2006. Although the medal was only instituted by Royal Decree of 23 March, 2001, it already has the same number of clasps as the Expedition Cross (see ) which existed from 1869 till 1942 (78 years). And it looks like more are to come...

The Commemorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations is awarded to military personnel which participated in any peacekeeping operation for at least 30 days, without any break, and which have shown good conduct and sense of duty. By Royal Decree of 16 June, 2005, the medal?s criteria were altered to make the award also available to police officers, who also participate in peacekeeping operations (think of the Kosovo Police School).

It is a round medal, 35 millimetres in diameter and made of bronze. On the obverse is a hand, holding an upright sword and coming from a V-shaped cloud. Along the sword is a wrap of olive leaves. The sword is point to a sun, which rays fill up de remaining background.

On the reverse is the Dutch national coat-of-arms.

The ribbon is 27 millimetres wide with the following vertical stripes: white 2 mm, purple 4,5 mm, white 4 mm, red 2 mm., white 2 mm, blue 2 mm, white 4 mm, purple 4,5 mm and white 2 mm.

A bronze clasp can be worn on the ribbon. In case of a second award of the same clasp, a numberal is impressed on it (e.g. the clasp ?SFOR? was awarded for the second time. In this case the clasp has ?2 SFOR? on it, ?3 SFOR?, ?4 SFOR?, etc. The clasp being awarded first is worn at the bottom of the ribbon, second above that, the third above the second, et cetera.

Only four clasps may be worn on the ribbon. In case of a fifth clasp a new medal is worn to the right of the first medal. On the ribbon of this second medal one can also pin four clasps, after which a third medal is worn, et cetera.

The following clasps have been instituted. The first date given is the date of the Decree of the Minister of Defence by which it was instituted, other dates given are dates by which alterations were made to the clasp?s award criteria.

?AMBER FOX?

14 June, 2002

Awarded for participation in NATO-operation ?Amber Fox? within the boundaries of the Macedonian Republic.

?BALKAN LUCHTOPERATIES? (Balkan Air Operations)

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participation air operations in support of ?Joint Forge? and ?Joint Guardian?.

?ECPA?

14 June, 2002

Awarded for participation in the EC-operation ?European Community Police Assistance Project in Albania?.

?ENDURING FREEDOM?

14 June, 2002 ; 6 July, 2005

Awarded for participation in the multinational operation ?Enduring Freedom?, within the area between the Red Sea, the Arabic Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Oman Gulf and the Persian Gulf, or within the boundaries and air space of the Arabic Peninsular en the Republics of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz and Afghanistan.

?ESSENTIAL HARVEST?

14 June, 2002

Awarded for participation in the NATO-operation ?Essential Harvest?, within the boundaries of the Macedonian Republic.

?EU OPERATIE CONCORDIA? (EU-operation Concordia)

16 September, 2003

Awarded for participation in the EU-led military operation ?Concordia? in the Macedonian Republic, within Macedonian boundaries since March 2003.

?EU OPERATIES?(EU-operations)

6 July, 2005 ; 15 May, 2006

Awarded for participation in the following EU-operations:

1.the ?EUPOL Kinshasa? within the boundaries and air space of the Democratic Republic of Congo since March 2005;

2. the ?Aceh Monitoring Mission? (AMM), within the boundaries and air space of the Republic of Indonesia, since September 2005;

3. the ?Border Assistance Mission? (EUBAM), within Israeli - Palestinian area and air space since February 2006;

4. the ?European Union Security-Financial Mission? (EUSEC), within the boundaries and air space of the Democratic Republic of Congo since May 2006.

?EUFOR?

6 July, 2005

Awarded for participation in EUFOR, within the boundaries and air space of the former state of Yugoslavia or the adjacent waters of the Adriatic Sea.

?EUMM?

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participation in the European Union Monitor Mission.

?EUPM?

16 September, 2003 ; 6 July, 2005

Awarded for participation in the European Union Police Mission, within the boundaries of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina since September 2002, or within the boundaries of the Republic of Macedonia since December 2003.

?FEDMAC?

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participation in the Federation Mine Action Center.

?ISAF?

14 June, 2002 ; 6 July, 2005

Awarded for participation in the multinational peacekeeping operation International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, within the boundaries and air space of the Afghan Republic and from the airport of Termez (Uzbekistan).

?KFOR?

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participation in the Kosovo Force.

?LUCHTVERDEDIGING TURKIJE? (Air Defence Turkey)

16 September, 2003

Awarded for participation in:

1. the Dutch military operation ?Tulip Guardian? from 8 February, 2003 till 4 March, 2003;

2. the NATO-operation ?Display Deterrence since 4 March, 2003

Both operations meant the deployment of Patriot Missile Launches in the air defence of Turkey.

?MIF?

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participation in the Multinational Interception Force.

?MINE ACTION CENTER?

16 September, 2003

Awarded for participating in the Mine Action Center, worldwide, since September 2002.

?MULTINATIONALE OPERATIES? (Multinational Operations)

15 May, 2006

Awarded for participation in the following multinational operations:

1. the ?African Union Mission in Sudan? (AMIS), within the boundaries and air space of Sudan, since June 2005;

2. the ?International Military Advisory Team in Sudan? (IMAT), within the boundaries and air space of Sudan, since November 2005.

?NAVO OPERATIES? (NATO Operations)

6 July, 2005

Awarded for participation in the following NATO operations:

1. the ?NATO Training Implementation Mission Iraq? (NTIM-I), within the boundaries and air space of Iraq;

2. the ?NATO Training Mission Iraq? (NTM-I), within in the boundaries and air space of Iraq.

?OVSE ALBANI? (OSCE Albania)

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participating in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe?s mission in Albania.

?OVSE MACEDONI? (OSCE Macedonia)

14 June, 2002

Awarded for participatin in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe?s mission within the boundaries of the Macedonian Republic.

?OVSE MOLDAVI? (OSCE Moldavia)

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participating in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe?s mission in Moldavia.

?OVSE OPERATIES? (OSCE Operations)

6 July, 2005

Awarded for participation in the following Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe missions:

1. the OSCE operation ?Kosovo Police Service School? (KPSS), since September 2001;

2. the OSCE Training Mission in Serbia and Montenegro since 2003.

?SFOR?

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participation in the Stabilisation Force.

?SFOR/EUFOR?

6 July, 2005

Awarded for participation in the NATO-mission Stabilisation Force during the time of the transfer from SFOR to the European-operation EUFOR on 2 December 2004, within the boundaries and air space of the former Republic of Yugoslavia and the adjecent Adriatic Sea.

?STABILISATION FORCE IRAK? (Stabilisation Force Iraq)

16 September, 2003

Awarded for participation in the international Stablisation Force within the boundaries and air space of Iraq and the Arabic Peninsular since 25 June, 2003.

?UNFICYP?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

?UNPTF?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Police Task Force.

?UNMEE-DJIBOUTI?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea and Djibouti.

?UNMIBH?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

?UNMIL?

6 July, 2005

For participation in the United Nations Mission in Liberia, within the boundaries and air space of Liberia and its adjacent waters.

?UNTSO?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation.

?VN OPERATIES? (UN Operations)

6 July, 2005

For participation in the following UN-operations:

1. the ?Op?ration des Nations Unies au Burundi? (ONUB), within the boundaries and air space of the Republic Burundi.

2. the United Nations Advanced Mission in Sudan (UNAMIS), within the boundaries and air space of the Republic of Sudan.

3. the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP), within the boundaries and air space of Iraq and on the airport of Amman (Jordan).

4. the ?Mission de l?Organisation des Nations Unies en R?publique d?mocratique du Congo? (MONUC), within the boundaries and airspace of the Peoples Republic of Congo.

5. the United Nation Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), within the boundaries and air space of the Republic of Sudan.

?WEU MAPE?

12 July, 2001

Awarded for participation in the West-European Union Multinational Advisory Police Element.

Edited June 8, 2006 by ErikMuller

[ErikMuller]

@ Hendrik

Don't bother to mail this to Ed, I was ahead of you!

[Hendrik]

Don't bother to mail this to Ed,

[Chris Boonzaier]

Soooooo.... how about a few photos so we can see just what medal we are n about here?????

[Kev in Deva]

The Dutch Commemorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations has it?s 33rd clasp: ?MULTINATIONALE OPERATIES? (Multionational Operations) instituted by Ministerial Decree of 15 May, 2006. Although the medal was only instituted by Royal Decree of 23 March, 2001, it already has the same number of clasps as the Expedition Cross (see ) which existed from 1869 till 1942 (78 years). And it looks like more are to come...

The following clasps have been instituted. The first date given is the date of the Decree of the Minister of Defence by which it was instituted, other dates given are dates by which alterations were made to the clasp?s award criteria.

?UNFICYP?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

?UNPTF?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Police Task Force.

?UNMEE-DJIBOUTI?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea and Djibouti.

?UNMIBH?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

?UNMIL?

6 July, 2005

For participation in the United Nations Mission in Liberia, within the boundaries and air space of Liberia and its adjacent waters.

?UNTSO?

12 July, 2001

For participation in the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation.

?VN OPERATIES? (UN Operations)

6 July, 2005

For participation in the following UN-operations:

1. the ?Op?ration des Nations Unies au Burundi? (ONUB), within the boundaries and air space of the Republic Burundi.

2. the United Nations Advanced Mission in Sudan (UNAMIS), within the boundaries and air space of the Republic of Sudan.

3. the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP), within the boundaries and air space of Iraq and on the airport of Amman (Jordan).

4. the ?Mission de l?Organisation des Nations Unies en R?publique d?mocratique du Congo? (MONUC), within the boundaries and airspace of the Peoples Republic of Congo.

5. the United Nation Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), within the boundaries and air space of the Republic of Sudan.

Hallo Erik,

I am very surprised not to see a " U N I F I L " clasp, seeing they are having a "U N T S O & U N I C Y P" or has Dutch-Batt contributions to Lebanon been forgotten already. or did I miss something in the write up.

Kevin in Deva

Edited November 24, 2006 by Kev in Deva

[ErikMuller]

Hallo Erik,

I am very surprised not to see a " U N I F I L " clasp, seeing they are having a "U N T S O & U N I C Y P" or has Dutch-Batt contributions to Lebanon been forgotten already. or did I miss something in the write up.

Kevin in Deva

Dear Kev,

DutchBat has no active participation in UNIFIL since 1985, so there is still no clasp for this mission on the Commemorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations.

Those who participated in UNIFIL from 1979 till 1985 received the Commemorative Medal UN-Peacekeeping Missions, which was abolished on institution of the Commememorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations.

For thos wanting to see how these medals looks like, see my website:

Commemorative Medal UN-Peacekeeping Operations (1980-2001)

Commemorative Medal Multinational Peacekeeping Operations (1982-2001)

Commemorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations (2001-present)

On the page for the Commemorative Medal Peacekeeping Operations is a picture of a group which has al three medals in it.

Although the pages are in Dutch, I'm working on an English language version. Not to much time for it though...

[Hendrik]

I'm working on an English language version. Not to much time for it though...

Hello Erik,

Post no. 1 of this thread, bar the first paragraph, will already do nicely for that medal's English version ... and I'd be happy to make translations of the odd pages to help you along. As a start and if you haven't a translation of it yet, just mail me your text on say the "Oorlogsherinneringskruis" as a Word document and I'll return the English version of it.

Perhaps someone else, with command of both languages involved, may follow suit ... even for just one page ?

Cheers,

Hendrik

[ErikMuller]

Sweet, thanks Hendrik!

Post no. 1 is indeed already in English on my website! Completely forgot about that:

http://www.onderscheidingen.nl/gb

I will keep your offer in mind, but first I have to re-write some Dutch language pages (amongst which the War Commemorative Cross).

Edited November 25, 2006 by ErikMuller