The OSM for the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Time Period: Post-WW2
• Year of Institution: 2005
• Country: Great Britain

The Operational Service Medal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a British armed forces campaign medal awarded to military personnel who had served between 14 June and 10 September 2003 on Operation Coral.

The medal with clasp is awarded for 25 days continuous service in Bunia in the Ituri Province of the Congo, or five return operational flights between Entebbe and Bunia, between 14 June and 10 September 2003 on Operation Coral.

The medal was established in 1999 to replace the General Service Medal (1962) for all new operations.  It has been awarded for three separate campaigns:

• Afghanistan (from 11 September 2001)
• Sierra Leone (May 2000 – July 2002)
• Democratic Republic of Congo (June – September 2003)

A DROC clasp awarded with every medal. A silver rosette denotes the clasp when worn on the ribbon bar.

The General Service Medal for Afghanistan Design

The Operational Service Medal for the Democratic Republic of Congo is struck in silver and circular in shape.

The obverse displays the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II with the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF.

The reverse shows 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 (top right), Mural-Army (bottom left), and Astral-Royal Air Force (bottom right).

The ribbon is 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 ochre, to represent the Congolese landscape.