UNCLASSIFIED
151411Z JUN 94
CDRPERSCOM ALEXANDRIA VA//TAPC-PDA//
AWARD OF THE UNITED NATIONS MEDAL - UNITED NATIONS OPERATION IN SOMALIA.
A. MILPER MSG NR. 94-137, DTG 041530Z FEB 94, SUBJ: AWARD OF THE UNITED NATIONS MEDAL.
1. REF A ANNOUNCED DOD ACCEPTANCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS MEDAL (UNM) FOR SIX UNITED NATIONS OPERATIONS. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF THE UNM IS BASED ON A SOLDIER’S INDIVIDUAL RECEIPT OF A CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE UNITED NATIONS. INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE DISPERSAL AND AWARDS OF THE UNM FOR UNITED NATIONS OPERATION SOMALIA (UNOSOM) HAVE BEEN HAPHAZARD, WITH SOME ELIGIBLE MEMBERS RECEIVING MEDALS AND NO CERTIFICATES, SOME RECEIVING CERTIFICATES AND NO MEDALS.
2. THE JOINT STAFF AND U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND (USCENTCOM) HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE U.S. UNITED NATIONS MISSION TO CLARIFY THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE UNM FOR SOLDIERS WHO SERVED WITH UNOSOM. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONLY PERSONNEL UNDER THE COMMAND OF A UNITED NATIONS FORCE COMMANDER ("BLUE HATTERS") AND MEMBERS OF THE QUICK REACTION FORCE (QRF) ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE UNOSOM UNM.
3. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR YOUR USE IN ENSURING THAT ALL PERSONNEL WHO MEET THE UNITED NATIONS' CRITERIA RECEIVE THE UNM--
A. CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBILITY:
(1) PERSONNEL MUST HAVE BEEN UNDER THE COMMAND OF A UNITED NATIONS FORCE COMMANDER.
(2) PERSONNEL MUST HAVE BEEN "BLUE HATTER" (WEAR THE NATIONAL OR UNITED NATIONS UNIFORM, INCLUDING BLUE BERET)
(3) USUALLY AWARDED AFTER 90 DAYS OF SERVICE.
(4) THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS MUST HAVE APPROVED AN EXCEPTION TO POLICY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET SPECIFIED CRITERIA.
B. U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION RESTORE HOPE, OR UNITAF, DEPLOYED BETWEEN DEC 92 AND MAY 93 ARE NOT, REPEAT, ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE UNOSOM UNM. THEY WERE NOT UNDER THE COMMAND OF A UN FORCE COMMANDER AND WERE NOT "BLUE-HATTED".
C. TRANSFER OF CONTROL FROM UNITAF TO UNOSOM II WAS 1 MAY 93; MILITARY COMMAND WAS TRANSFERRED 4 MAY 93. THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA APPLIES:
(1) "BLUE-HATTED" U-S- MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO SERVED UNDER THE OPERATIONAL COMMAND OF THE UNOSOM II FORCE COMMANDER (PRIMARILY INCLUDED THE 2,700 PLUS LOGISTICS TROOPS AND 47 STAFF OFFICERS) SINCE 1 MAY 93 ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE UNOSOM UNM, IF THEY HAVE SERVED AT LEAST 90 DAYS IN THE MISSION. QRF UNITS ARE AWARDED THE UNM AS AN EXCEPTION TO POLICY.
(2) ELIGIBILITY PERIOD FOR U.S. PERSONNEL WHO MEET THE SET CRITERIA IS 1 MAY 93 TO 25 MAR 94.
D. THE UNOSOM II FORCE COMMANDER IS THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR AWARD OF THE UNM. DOD CONSIDERS THE UNM A FOREIGN AWARD AND DOD CANNOT, REPEAT, CANNOT WAIVE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
4. THE JOINT STAFF REQUESTED THAT USCENTCOM IDENTIFY UNITS THAT COMPRISED THE QRF. THIS LIST CAN BE USED TO IDENTIFY THOSE SOLDIERS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE QRF UNITS AND ENSURE THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE UNM. THE QRF UNITS ARE IDENTIFIED AS FOLLOWS:
HQ, 1ST BRIGADE, 10TH MOUNTAIN DIV (L) (MAY-AUG 93)
TASK FORCE 1-22D INFANTRY
TASK FORCE 3-25TH AVIATION
10TH FORWARD SUPPORT BATTALION
SOCCE 520B
HQ, 10TH AVIATION BRIGADE (AUG-OCT 93)
TASK FORCE 2-14TH INFANTRY
TASK FORCE 3-25TH AVIATION
TASK FORCE 2-15TH AVIATION
46TH FORWARD SUPPORT BATTALION
SOCCE 520B
SOCCE 590B
HQ, JOINT TASK FORCE SOMALIA (OCT 93-MAR 94)
HQ, 10TH AVIATION BRIGADE
TASK FORCE 1-64TH ARMOR
TASK FORCE 2-14TH INFANTRY
TASK FORCE 2-22D INFANTRY
TASK FORCE 2-25TH AVIATION
43D ENGINEER BATTALION
JSOTF SOMALIA
ODB 590
16TH SOW
TASK FORCE 4-4TH AVIATION
24TH MEU(SOC) (JUL 93)
13TH MEU(SOC) (OCT 93 - FEB 94)
22D MEU(SOC) (OCT - NOV 93)
24TH MEU(SOC) (JAN - MAR 94)
11TH MEU(SOC) (MAR 94)
5. TO VERIFY ELIGIBILITY FOR THOSE SOLDIERS WHO SERVED UNDER THE COMMAND OF A UN FORCE COMMANDER AND/OR OBTAIN COPIES OF ROUTINE ORDERS TO UPDATE PERSONNEL RECORDS, MACOMS AND PRINCIPAL HQDA AGENCIES WILL SUBMIT REQUESTS TO THE U.S. UNITED NATIONS MISSION OFFICE, ATTN: SGM BURBACK, 799 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, NEW YORK, NY 10017. THE REQUEST WILL INCLUDE THE FULL NAME AND SSN OF THE SOLDIERS REQUIRING VERIFICATION, THE UNIT IN WHICH THEY SERVED (UN OR QRF), AND START/END DATES OF SERVICE IN SOMALIA.
6. FOR AIG 7406, PLEASE ADVISE SUBORDINATE COMMANDS NOT TO SUBMIT THEIR REQUESTS DIRECTLY TO THE UN MISSION OFFICE IN NEW YORK. SUBORDINATE COMMANDS SHOULD SUBMIT THEIR LIST TO THEIR RESPECTIVE MACOM FOR DISPOSITION.
7. ONLY MACOMS AND PRINCIPAL HQDA AGENCIES MAY CONTACT HQ, PERSCOM FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE. POC IS MRS. WHITE, DSN 221-8700, COMM (703) 325-8700. INSTALLATIONS/FIELD AGENCIES AND SOLDIERS MUST CONTACT THEIR RESPECTIVE MACOM FOR ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS.
8. APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN ASSISTING PROPER RECOGNITION TO DESERVING SOLDIERS BY ONLY MACOMS AND PRINCIPAL HQDA AGENCIES CONTACTING HQDA AWARDS OFFICE.