Page 86 - Medals of the Irish Defence Forces

United Nations Mandated Medals

KfoR (NAto MEDAL - wIth CLASP - KoSovo)
Kosovo force

mission:
The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a NATO-led international force responsible
for establishing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo, the self-
proclaimed, independent and partially recognised landlocked country in
the Balkans. KFOR entered Kosovo on June 12, 1999 under a United
Nations mandate, two days after the adoption of UN Security Council
Resolution 1244. At the time of UN Security Council Resolution 1244,
Kosovo was facing a grave humanitarian crisis, with military and
paramilitary forces from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and
the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in daily engagement.

medal Design:
The medal is circular in form and made of bronze. The obverse bears
a star set in a wreath of olive leaves. The reverse side has a band
inscribed NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION at top and
ORGANISATION DU TRAITE DE LATLANTIQUE NORD at the bottom.
In the center is a sprig of olive between the inscription IN SERVICE OF
PEACE AND FREEDOM above and AU SERVICE DE LA PAIX ET DE
LA LIBERTE below.
oBvERSE
medal ribbon:
The medal is suspended from a ribbon 5 cms in length. The colour of the
ribbon is blue with a centre white stripe and flanked by two narrow white
stripes.

clasp:
A clasp (Kosovo) to the medal denotes the specific theatre, or area of
operations, or the specific operation in respect of which the medal is
being awarded.

REvERSE
Eligibility:
The medal is awarded to members of the Defence Forces who have the
required qualifying service which is
• Thirty (30) days within the land, sea, or air space of the Former
RIBBoN Yugoslavia and the Adriatic Sea.
• Ninety (90) days continuous or accumulated service in direct support of
KFOR Operations in areas adjacent to the Former Yugoslavia.

Posthumous awards:
The qualifying service is not required for members killed or presumed killed
while on KFOR assignment. In such cases, the medal may be awarded
posthumously.

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