§ 578.126 - United Nations Medal.

(a) Authorized by the Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Order 11139, January 7, 1964. U.S. service members who are or have been in the service of the United Nations in operations designated by the Secretary of Defense may accept the United Nations Medal (UNM) when awarded by the Chief of the United Nations Mission.

(b) Eligibility. The eligibility criteria for award of the UNM requires that an individual serve under the operational or tactical control of the United Nations and serve a minimum of 90 consecutive days in the service of the United Nations. The following United Nations missions/operations have been approved for acceptance and wear:

(1) United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL);

(2) United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine (UNTSO);

(3) United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP);

(4) United Nations Security Forces, Hollandia (UNSFH);

(5) United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC);

(6) United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC);

(7) United Nations Protection Force in Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR);

(8) United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO);

(9) United Nations Iraq/Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM);

(10) United Nations Operations in Somalia (to include U.S. Quick Reaction Force members) (UNOSOM);

(11) United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH);

(12) United Nations Medal Special Service (UNMSS).

(c) Wear. Each United Nations mission for which an UNM is awarded is commemorated by a suspension and service ribbon of unique colors and design. The ribbon and medallion combination take on the name of the specific operation for which the combination was created. For example, the operation in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia is the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), yielding the UNPROFOR Medal. Service members who are awarded an UNM may wear the first UNM with unique suspension and service ribbon for which they qualify. A bronze service star will denote subsequent awards of the UNM for service in a different United Nations mission. Only one United Nations ribbon is authorized for wear.

(d) Presentation. The Senior Representative of the Secretary-General who makes the award normally makes presentation of the UNM in the field. Approval authority to accept and wear the UNM to member of the Armed Forces of the United States is the Secretary of Defense. When presentation is not so accomplished, any person who believes he or she is eligible for award may submit to Commander, USA HRC, (see § 578.3(c) for address) and a request for such award with copy of any substantiating documents. Commander, AHRC will forward each such request through the Office of Internal Administration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, to the United Nations for consideration.

(e) Description—(1) Medal. The medal is bronze, 13/8 inches in diameter, with a top view of the globe enclosed at sides and bottom by a wreath and the letters “UN” at the top of the medal. On the reverse side is the inscription “IN THE SERVICE OF PEACE”. The United Nations Service Medal Korea is the same design, except the obverse does not include the letters “UN” and the medal has a hanger bar with the inscription “KOREA”. On the reverse side of the United Nations Service Medal Korea is the inscription “FOR SERVICE IN DEFENCE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS”.

(2) Ribbon. Each United Nations mission for which a UNM is awarded is commemorated by a suspension and service ribbon of unique colors and design. The ribbon and medallion combination take on the name of the specific operation for which the combination was created. For example, the operation in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia is the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), yielding the UNPROFOR Medal. Service members who are awarded a UNM may wear the first UNM with unique suspension and service ribbon for which they qualify. A bronze service star will be worn to denote subsequent awards of the UNM for service in a different United Nations mission. Only one United Nations ribbon is authorized for wear.