TEMPORARILY CLOSED – Currently the Mercury Shop is closed both in store and online due to strike action by unionized Staff of Non-Public Funds, which the Mercury Shop staff are apart of. For updates please visit The Mercury Shop and Military Communications and Electronics Facebook pages. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience. Any medals purchased for mounting from 20 November onward will likely not be completed until sometime in January.
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TEMPORARILY CLOSED – Currently the Mercury Shop is closed both in store and online due to strike action by unionized Staff of Non-Public Funds, which the Mercury Shop staff are apart of. For updates please visit The Mercury Shop and Military Communications and Electronics Facebook pages. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience. Any medals purchased for mounting from 20 November onward will likely not be completed until sometime in January.
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Front and back face of the silver Special Service Medal, also shown is the red, white and black ribbon.
Silver Ranger bar.
Silver expedition bar
Silver Nato/Otan bar
Silver alert bar.
Silver Peace/Paix bar.
Silver Humanitas bar
GL-00840

(SSM) Special Service Medal Miniature

$8.00 $0.00

If you require your medals to be mounted before they are shipped to you, please select the option for miniature medal mounting on the 1st page of the miniature medal collection. The fee is per medal.

NOTE: WHEN SELECTING THIS MEDAL, YOU NEED TO SELECT THE MEDAL ITSELF, THEN SELECT THE BAR YOU REQUIRE FOR IT. THERE WILL BE A CHARGE FOR BOTH THE MEDAL AND THE BAR.

The Special Service Medal (SSM) was created to recognize members of the Canadian Forces who are taking part in activities and operations under exceptional circumstances.

Eligibility and Criteria
The Special Service Medal (SSM) recognizes members of the Canadian Forces (CF) who have performed a service determined to be under exceptional circumstances, in a clearly defined locality for a specified duration. The SSM recognizes approved activities underway on 11 June 1984 or subsequently established. This medals is always issued with a bar that specifies the special service being recognized, each bar having its own criteria.

Bars

    1. PAKISTAN 1989 - 90
      (Authorized by PC 1991-1061)
      A minimum of 90 days service with the Mine Awareness and Clearance Training Program in Pakistan, during the period beginning on March 15, 1989 and ending on July 29, 1990, under the auspices of the United Nations.
      NOTE: This bar is no longer issued. The recipients of this bar can, if they wish to do so, exchange it for the United Nations Special Service Medal (UNSSM).
    2. ALERT
      (Authorized by PC 1995-2003)
      An aggregate of 180 days of honourable service on the posted strength of Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert, or of honourable service with a military force operationally deployed to or at CFS Alert, since it began its operation on 01 September 1958 and still continuing. Units deployed at CFS Alert include such detachments as aircrew flying into the station for re-supply missions.
    3. PEACE
      (Authorized by PC 1995-2004)
      An aggregate of 180 days of honourable service in peacekeeping operations, from November 1947 (the beginning of international peacekeeping operations) to 21 June 2001. It was issued for service which had not been recognized by any other award in, or accepted into, the Canadian Honours system at the time.
      NOTE: Since 21 June 2001, no further missions are approved for this bar. Peacekeeping service eligibility is now counted towards the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (CPSM).
    4. NATO
      (Authorized by PC 1995-2005)
      An aggregate of 180 days of honourable service within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) area of responsibility between 01 January 1951 and 19 October 2004. Qualifying service is service while posted to a NATO unit, or to a Canadian Forces or allied formation or unit outside territorial limits of Canada under the operational control of a NATO headquarters, or in Canada on an operational staff directly participating in the operational control of such formations and units. In the latter case, only those staff personnel serving in an operations room directly participating in the control of ships and aircraft in NATO operations and exercises qualify for this service. NOT ALL time served in Europe nor at sea can be counted towards this bar.
    5. HUMANITAS
      (Amended by PC 2017-1741, 19 DEC 2017)
      An aggregate of 30 days of honourable service performed outside Canada from 11 June 1984 to 31 July 2009 in support of any humanitarian operation conducted in response to a disaster or human conflict, set out in the schedule, including rescue, relief, and reconstruction operations, and provided the service has not been acknowledged by the award of any other honour that is part of or is recognized by the Canadian Honours System.
      NOTE: Since 31 July 2009 no further missions are approved. Humanitarian service eligibility is now counted towards the Operational Service Medal with HUMANITAS ribbon (OSM-HUM).
    6. RANGER
      (Amended by PC 2017-1738, 19 DEC 2017)
      An aggregate of four years of honourable service as a Canadian Ranger or as a Canadian Ranger instructor, performing the duties of providing a military presence in support of Canadian sovereignty including reporting unusual activities; collecting local data of significance to support military operations; providing local expertise, assistance, and advice as guide and advisor; in search and rescue activities; and with the completion of a minimum of three Ranger Patrol Exercises within Canada or its territorial and adjacent waters since 1947.
      The Canadian Ranger patrol type matrix clarifies which types of Ranger Patrols qualify towards the RANGER Bar:
          Types 1 and 2 patrols do not qualify, and
          Types 3, 4, 5 and 6 patrols do qualify.
    7. EXPEDITION
      (Amended by PC 2018-123, 9 Feb 2018)
      An aggregate of 45 days of honourable service performed outside Canada beginning July 1, 2007, while deployed to participate in or provide direct support on a full-time basis to approved operations, provided the said service is not counted towards any other Canadian or foreign service medal. In this context, “deployed” means sent outside of Canada temporarily, without family and effects, for the specific purpose of serving in or supporting approved operations. Postings to permanent positions outside of Canada are excluded from eligibility.

      Image shows front and back face of medal.