Iraq Medal (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
The Iraq Medal was a campaign medal
for issue to Officers and Other Ranks
of the British Armed Forces
, and others, who served on, or in support of, Operation TELIC
- the designation for British operations during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and its aftermath.
exchange and attached forces, Ministry of Defence
civilians, members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
, civilian contractors, and embedded journalist
s.
and Kuwait
) and Zone 2 (elsewhere within the Gulf
region). Qualifying periods of service varied depending on the area in which personnel were based. The medal was awarded with the clasp
19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 to those who participated in combat operations in Iraq; those who served before the invasion, or who served in its aftermath, were recognised by the award of the medal alone.
To qualify for the clasp, seven days continuous service or, in the case of aircrew, two or more flights into Zone 1, between 19 March and 28 April 2003, were required. This period encompassed the duration of actual combat operations.
Subsequently, the medal was awarded for either 30 days consecutive service in Iraq (or Iraqi territorial waters), 45 days cumulative, or, in the case of aircrew, for ten sorties flown into Iraq.
(Mention in Dispatches
or higher), immediately qualified for the award of the medal, regardless of whether the length of service requirement was met.
Campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...
for issue to Officers and Other Ranks
Other Ranks
Other Ranks in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force are those personnel who are not commissioned officers. In the Royal Navy, these personnel are called ratings...
of the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
, and others, who served on, or in support of, Operation TELIC
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
- the designation for British operations during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and its aftermath.
History
The medal, which was authorised on 23 February 2004, was awarded in recognition of meeting the qualifying period of service within the defined operational area. Eligibility was extensive, including both Regular and Reserve members of the armed forces, foreign and CommonwealthCommonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
exchange and attached forces, Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
civilians, members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
, civilian contractors, and embedded journalist
Embedded journalist
Embedded journalism refers to news reporters being attached to military units involved in armed conflicts. While the term could be applied to many historical interactions between journalists and military personnel, it first came to be used in the media coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
s.
Qualification details
The operational area was defined as being divided into two zones - Zone 1 (IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
) and Zone 2 (elsewhere within the Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
region). Qualifying periods of service varied depending on the area in which personnel were based. The medal was awarded with the clasp
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 to those who participated in combat operations in Iraq; those who served before the invasion, or who served in its aftermath, were recognised by the award of the medal alone.
To qualify for the clasp, seven days continuous service or, in the case of aircrew, two or more flights into Zone 1, between 19 March and 28 April 2003, were required. This period encompassed the duration of actual combat operations.
Subsequently, the medal was awarded for either 30 days consecutive service in Iraq (or Iraqi territorial waters), 45 days cumulative, or, in the case of aircrew, for ten sorties flown into Iraq.
Without a clasp
The medal, without a clasp, was awarded to:- those based in Zone 1 (Iraq) who did not complete seven days service to qualify for the clasp, but who performed thirty days continuous service between either 20 Jan - 24 March 2003 or from 23 April 2003 to 22 May 2011.
- those based in Zone 1 (Kuwait) who did not complete seven days service to qualify for the clasp, but who performed thirty days continuous service between either 20 Jan - 24 March 2003 or 23 April - 10 August 2003.
- those based in Zone 2 who performed thirty days continuous service between 20 Jan - 28 April 2003.
- aircrew based outside Zone 1 (Iraq) but who flew ten sorties into Iraq, at a rate of not more than one sortie per day, from 28 April 2003 to 22 May 2011.
- aircrew based outside both Zones 1 and 2 but who flew thirty sorties into Zones 1 or 2, at a rate of not more than one sortie per day, from 20 January - 28 April 2003.
Special circumstances
Service terminated by death, wounds or disability due to service, or the award of a military decorationMilitary decoration
A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....
(Mention in Dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
or higher), immediately qualified for the award of the medal, regardless of whether the length of service requirement was met.