12 years is worthy of a military service medal

OPINION Guelph Mercury Feb 15, 2018

Both the current Liberal government and previously the Conservative government have balked, no, outright refused, to award Canada's Veterans a "volunteer medal," for those who served in Canada's military for up to 12 years, and this issue has recently started heating up again, when an e-petition has again been collecting thousands upon thousands of signatures.

And, just as bad, if not worse, a special Committee of the Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion has nixed a democratic vote by it's members urging the Dominion Command's President to support the issuance of a "Volunteer medal" with the government.

Folks who worked at Tim Hortons inside the compound in Kandahar, Afghanistan, are awarded a medal, but not Canada's Veterans. Shame on the government!

Volunteer medals were awarded to Canada's military for volunteering in the Second World War and the Korean War. This practice has stopped.

A "Canada Military Decoration," or "CD," is awarded to Canada's Military after 12 years of loyal service, and a bar on the ribbon for every 10 additional years. This is more or less a "good conduct medal." Other medals are awarded for service outside of the country.

Those who volunteered and were in Canada's military for up to 12 years but never went overseas have no medal to show for their 'volunteerism.' Other Commonwealth countries do issue volunteer medals.

I wonder what these Veterans feel like, when on Remembrance Day, they stand there without a medal to show for their volunteerism beside an individual who worked for Tim Hortons inside the compound in Afghanistan proudly sporting an "Afghanistan medal?"

Jacques De Winter

Rockwood

https://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/8137532-12-years-is-worthy-of-a-military-service-medal/