SILVER STAR COURSE / PO: FUNDAMENTAL TRAINING

ENABLING OBJECTIVE(S):402.11 List the Decorations, Medals and Awards of the Canadian Forces

REFERENCE(S):A.A-CR-CCP-120/PH-001 Silver Star Course Training Plan; Chapter 4, Page 4-13 & 4-14.

B.A-CR-CCP-121/PT-001 Cadet Reference Book Pages 2-35 to 2-44.

SUPPLEMENTARY REFERENCE(S):A.A-AD-200-000/AG-000 Honours, Flags and Heritage of the CF.

B.Governor General Website:

C.Directorate of History and Heritage

TRG AID(S):A.A-JS-007-007/DA-001 CF Medals and Decorations Chart

B.OHP and OHP Slides

STUDENT AID(S):A.Silver Star Handbook

B.Pencil and notebook

METHOD:Lecture and Discussion / TIME: 1 x 30 Minutes

Note: The material in this lecture will require more than one period of instruction to cover.

REVIEW

/ TIME: 2 Minutes

IEO 402.10LIST THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN NCO

1.What is a duty?

  1. What is a responsibility?
  1. What are some responsibilities of an NCO?
  1. How do the duties of an NCO and Officer differ?

INTRODUCTION / TIME: 1 Minutes

WHAT:In this lesson cadets will learn about the orders, decorations, and medals of the Canadian Forces.

WHY:Cadets will learn about selected orders, decorations, and medals in order to familiarize themselves with this aspect of the Canadian Forces.

WHERE:You will apply the knowledge here to various situations where members of the Canadian Forces are present.

BODY / INSTR NOTES
ISTAGE 1:ANATOMY OF A DECORATION OR MEDAL
1.Anatomy of a medal or decoration:
  1. The colour of the ribbon is different for each decoration or medal. When not wearing the full medal, a recipient will wear a small ribbon in its place.
  1. Decorations and medals are often engraved with the recipient’s name on the back or edges.
  1. Bars, numbers or clusters on some decorations indicate repeat awards of that decoration or medal.
  1. Many decorations and medals allow a recipient to place the initials of the award behind their name in official correspondence.
  1. Each decoration or medal has it’s place, or ‘precedence.’ This indicates the sequence that a recipient, awarded more than one decoration, shall wear them.
IICONFIRMATION STAGE 1
  1. What does the recipient of a decoration wear when not wearing a full medal?
  1. What is precedence? Give an example.
  1. When were would you find a recipient’s name on a medal or decoration?
IIISTAGE 2:ORDERS OF MERIT
  1. Order of Canada: The Order of Canada is Canada’s highest honour for lifetime achievement. There are three levels of membership: the Companion level, recognizing the highest degree of service to Canada or humanity; the Officer level, recognizing national service and merit of a high degree; outstanding contributions at the local or regional level or in a specialized field of activity.
a.Description: The Order of Canada’s badge is in the form of a stylized, six-pointed snowflake bearing the Crown and a maple leaf. It is worn at the neck by Companions and Officers and on the left breast by Members. All may wear a small replica of the badge on street clothes.
b.Eligibility: All Canadians are eligible for the Order of Canada, which is conferred in recognition of outstanding achievement and lifetime contribution in all major fields of endeavour.
IVCONFIRMATION STAGE 2
  1. The Order of Canada is Canada’s highest honour for what?
  1. What are the three levels of membership?
  1. What does it look like?
VSTAGE 3:DECORATIONS
1.The Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)
a.Description: The decoration is in the shape of a decagon with each of the ten sides being a representative of a province of Canada. It bears on the obverse the uncrowned effigy of the Sovereign encircled by the Canadian Royal Title with the word “Canada” on the lowest side. On the reverse, appears a crown, maple leaves and an eagle representative of the navy, army and air force respectively. The name of the recipient will be engraved around the edge of the decoration.
b.Eligibility: All members of the Canadian Forces (officers and NCMs) are eligible provided that they have completed twelve years of service and have had good conduct during the final eight years of claimed service.
c.The Ribbon: The ribbon is worn on the left breast pendant from a ribbon one and one-half inches in width. The ribbon will be of the colour gules broken into equal divisions by three narrow vertical stripes of the colour argent [silver].
  1. Clasps: Clasps will be awarded for every subsequent period of ten years’ qualifying service. A silver rosette will be worn on the ribbon to denote the award of a clasp.
  1. Victoria Cross (VC): is the highest of the three Military Valour Decorations:
a.Description: The original British VC was made from cannons captured from the Russians during the Crimean War. The Canadian version of the Victoria Cross has the Latin inscription “PRO VALORE” in place of the English-only “FOR VALOUR” found on the British VC. The recipient’s rank, name and regiment are engraved on the reverse of the mounting bar and the date of the act engraved on the back within a raised circle.
b.Eligibility: The Victoria Cross “shall be awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty, in the presence of the enemy.” It encompasses Canadian involvement in UN peacekeeping operations.
c.Recipients: This medal is received by members of the Canadian Forces, or members of an allied armed force serving with or in conjunction with the Canadian Forces, for deeds of military valour. The list of Canadians who have been awarded the Victoria Cross is available on the Directorate of History and Heritage website.
3.Star of Military Valour and Medal of Military Valour: The Star of Military Valour is the second highest Military Valour Decoration of Canada.
a.Description: The reverse of both medals show the Royal Cypher and Crown with the inscription “PRO VALORE”. The rank and the name of the recipient is engraved below the “PRO VALORE” inscription.
b.Eligibility: The Star of Military Valour “shall be awarded for distinguished and valiant service in the presence of the enemy.” The Medal of Military Valour can also be awarded for similar circumstances. Members of the CF or members of an allied armed force serving with CF are eligible.
4.Meritorious Service Cross: can be awarded militarily or civilly, for the performance of a deed or activity in an outstanding professional manner or of an uncommonly high standard bringing considerable benefit or great honour to Canada.
VICONFIRMATION STAGE 3
1.How much service is required to be eligible for the Canadian Decoration (CD)?
2.The Victoria Cross if the highest Military Valour Decoration of Canada. What is the second highest decoration?
3.Who may be awarded the Meritorious Service Cross?
VIISTAGE 4:MEDALS
1.United Nations Medals: Each United Nations Medal is distinguished by its ribbon colours.
  1. Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal: is awarded for peacekeeping service on missions dating back to 1947.
a.Description: The figures of obverse of the medal are those depicted on the top of the Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa. The three figures show an observed, with binocular, and two Canadian Forces soldiers. The kneeling figure with the radio is a woman. These three figures depict the purpose of this medal which is service with international peacekeeping or observer missions. Above them flies a dove, symbolic of peace in many countries of the world.
  1. The ribbon is comprised for four colours, green, red, white and United Nations blue. These colours are chosen to represent the following: United Nations blue- the colours of the United Nations, the organization under which the majority of international peacekeeping and observer missions have occurred; Red and white- the Canadian flag and Green- volunteerism. In addition, the red and white have secondary meanings.
3.The Victory Medal: was awarded to all ranks of the fighting forces, to civilians under contract, and others employed with military hospitals who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war between 05 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. The Medal was authorized in Britain (and for Canadians) on 01 September 1919.
4.The Canadian Korea Medal: was awarded to Canadian military personnel for one on the strength of an army unit in Korea; or 28 days afloat; or one sortie over Korea by a member of the RCAF, 02 July 1950- 27 July 1953.
5.The Gulf and Kuwait Medal with bar: was awarded to:
a.all members of the Canadian Forces who served a minimum of 30 cumlative days in theatre, on or in direct support of, operations to defend against aggression and to liberate Kuwait; and
b.those who served one day or more in the theatre of operations during actual hostilities (16 January 1991 to 03 March 1991).
VIIICONFIRMATION STAGE 4
1.How is each United Nations Medal distinguished?
2.What do each of the four colours on the Canadian Peacekeeping Medal represent? / TIME: 3 Minutes
Time: 5 Minutes
OHP 1
TIME: 6 Minutes
OHP 2
Refer to CFAO 18-9 for more information on the Canadian Forces Decoration.
OHP 3
OHP 3
OHP 4
TIME: 5 Minutes
OHP 5
White is associated with purity and peacekeeping is certainly one of mankind’s highest ideals. The red is also symbolic of the blood that has been shed by Canada’s more that 100 fallen peacekeepers.
OHP 6
PERFORMANCE CHECK / TIME: 2 Minutes

ICadets will identify the medals and decoration by pointing them out on the poster.

CONCLUSION / TIME: 1 Minutes

SUMMARY:A.In this lesson cadets have learned about selected medals, decorations, and wards of the Canadian Forces.

B.It is important for cadets to be familiar with decorations, medals and awards of the Canadian Forces.

RE-MOTIVATE:A.Comment on student progress.

B.Cadets will apply the information learned in this lesson every time they are affiliated with members of the Canadian Forces.

C.The next lesson in Fundamental Training will be in the Gold Star course on how to Complete a Parade State.

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