- Time Period: Post-WW2
- Year of Institution: 2003
- Country: Great Britain
The Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan is a campaign medal awarded for service by British Armed Forces personnel in support of the post-2001 Afghan War by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom.
The Operational Service Medal was established in 1999 to replace the General Service Medal (1962) for all new operations. A separate medal of the same design is awarded for each campaign, differentiated by a distinct ribbon and, where appropriate, a specific clasp.
The General Service Medal for Afghanistan Qualifying Criteria
The Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan can be awarded both with and without a clasp inscribed ‘AFGHANISTAN‘. A silver rosette on the ribbon denotes entitlement to the clasp when no medal is worn.
The medal is also awarded to UK civilians employed on Ministry of Defence contracts in support of the British Forces in Afghanistan.
The General Service Medal for Afghanistan Design
The GSM for Afghanistan medal is struck in silver and circular in shape.
The obverse shows the crowned effigy of Elizabeth II with the inscription “ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF..”
The reverse bears the Union Flag, surrounded by the inscription FOR OPERATIONAL SERVICE and the four major points of the compass with, between the points, four Coronets: Royal (top left), Naval (Navy, top right), Mural (Army, bottom left), and Astral (Royal Air Force, bottom right).
The ribbon consists of a broad central red stripe, flanked each side by a stripe of navy blue and one of light blue, to represent the three services, with an outer stripe of light brown, to represent the Afghan landscape.
The General Service Medal Variants
The OSM has been awarded for four separate campaigns, each with a distinctive ribbon. The other three are:
