CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Medals ordered after 27 November that require mounting will not be back until some time in January due to holiday closures. The Museum and Mercury Shop will be closed starting 13 December 2024 reopening on 06 January 2025. During this time online orders can be placed and will be fulfilled when we return.
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CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Medals ordered after 27 November that require mounting will not be back until some time in January due to holiday closures. The Museum and Mercury Shop will be closed starting 13 December 2024 reopening on 06 January 2025. During this time online orders can be placed and will be fulfilled when we return.
Cart 0
Front and back face of the silver operational service medal.
Front and back face of the silver operational service medal, also shown is the red, white, and green Sierra Leone ribbon.
Front and back face of the silver operational service medal, also shown is the red, white, and blue Haiti ribbon.
Front and back face of the silver operational service medal, also shown is the red, white, and dark green Sudan ribbon.
Front and back face of the silver operational service medal, also shown is the red and Humanitas ribbon.
Front and back face of the silver operational service medal, also shown is the red, white, and tan South West Asia ribbon.
Front and back face of the silver operational service medal, also shown is the red, white, and silver expidition ribbon.
GL-00840

(OSM) Operational Service Medal Miniature

$0.00 $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 RIBBON YOU REQUIRE FOR IT. THERE WILL BE A $0.00 CHARGE ON THE RIBBON, IT IS JUST THERE SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT RIBBON YOU ARE ORDERING FOR YOUR OSM MEDAL.

This general service award has been created as a means to recognize in a timelier manner those who serve in or provide support to overseas operations and for which no other medals, such as United Nations or NATO medals, are available. Rather than creating a new honour for each new Canadian Forces (CF) operation as it arises, the Operational Service Medal — with its theatre- or task-specific ribbons — can be awarded in future to honour participation in any operation that meets the criteria.

Eligibility and Criteria

The Operational Service Medal (OSM) is awarded to:

  • members of the CF;
  • members of allied forces serving with the CF;
  • members of recognized Canadian police forces and allied police officers working with them; and
  • Canadian citizens in the employ or under contract with the Government of Canada, other than members of the CF or sworn police officers;
  • who served in a theatre of operations, provided direct support on a full-time basis to operations conducted in such a theatre, or served under dangerous circumstances outside Canada provided the said service is not counted towards another service medal other than the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal where applicable.

The OSM is always issued with a ribbon specific to the theatre or type of service being recognized, and each ribbon has its own criteria.

For individual criteria please refer to the Canadian Medals Chart.

Bars
Rotation bars have been created to recognize long periods of service in a theatre.

Recipients of the OSM may be awarded a first Rotation Bar after a total of 210 days of eligible service, including the days taken into account for the award of the original medal, and additional bars are awarded for each subsequent period of 180 days.

The Rotation Bars for the Medal are silver in colour with a raised edge and bear either one or five maple leaves. One bar bearing five maple leaves is worn in lieu of five bars bearing one maple leaf.

Images show front and back face of medal.