Awarded to service members who are or have been in UN service with one of the following:

UN Observation Group in Lebanon; UN Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan; UN Security Forces, Hollandia; UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia; UN Advance Mission in Cambodia; UN Protection Force in Yugoslavia; UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara or UN Operations in Somalia, to include US Quick Reaction Force members; UN Iraq/Kuwait Observation Group; and UN Mission in Haiti.

The UN Secretary General determines amount of service required and individual eligibility. Military personnel presently serving or who have served are awarded the UNM in the field by the UN Secretary General's senior representative.

Old Wear Policy-In the past, Air Force members could accept the unique medal presented by the UN for the specific operation, but only wear the standard UNM and ribbon. The standard UNM is the bronze medallion suspended on the ribbon which is blue background and two white stripes with coordinating service ribbon).

New Wear Policy-The Assistant Secretary of Defense approved a revision to the wear policy for UNMs. Air Force members now accept and wear the first UNM with unique suspension and service ribbon for the mission/operation in which they qualified and affix a bronze service star for each subsequent UN mission/operation in which they participate and qualify. NOTE: Air Force members will not wear more than one unique UNM/ribbon

United Nations Operations in Somalia (to include US Quick Reaction Force Members). The ribbon is 3/8 inch Jasmine 67143; 3/32 inch Irish Green 67189; 7/16 inch Bluebird; 3/32 inch Irish Green; and 3/8 inch Jasmine.

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 Soldiers Individual Receipt Of A Recognition 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 Recognitions, Some Receiving Recognitions 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. US 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" US 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:

10Th Forward Support Battalion
11Th Meu(soc) (Mar 94) 13Th Meu(soc) (Oct 93-Feb 94)
16Th Sow
22D Meu(soc) (Oct-Nov 93)
24Th Meu(soc) (Jan-Mar 94)
43D Engineer Battalion
46Th Forward Support Battalion
Hq, 10Th Aviation Brigade (Aug-oct 93)
Hq, 1St Brigade, 10Th Mountain Div (L) (May-aug 93)
Hq, Joint Task Force Somalia (Oct 93-Mar 94)
Jsotf Somalia
Odb 590
Socce 590B
Task Force 1-22D Infantry
Task Force 1-64Th Armor
Task Force 2-14Th Infantry
Task Force 2-15Th Aviation
Task Force 2-22D Infantry
Task Force 2-25Th Aviation
Task Force 3-25Th Aviation
Task Force 4-4Th Aviation

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.

UNOSOM was established on 24 April 1992 by Security Council Resolution 751. In accordance with the agreements reached with the two main Somali factions in Mogadishu, the cease-fire in the capital was to be monitored by a group of 50 unarmed, uniformed United Nations military observers. The observers were to be deployed along the demarcation line separating Mogadishu into two zones. As regards humanitarian assistance, the security personnel envisaged in the agreements were to provide protection and security for United Nations personnel, equipment and supplies at the port of Mogadishu and escort deliveries of humanitarian supplies from there to distribution centres in the city and its immediate environs. They were also to provide security for United Nations personnel, equipment and supplies at the airport in Mogadishu. They were to provide the United Nations convoys of relief supplies with a sufficiently strong military escort to deter attack; they were authorized to fire in self-defence as a last resort if deterrence should not prove effective. On 28 August, the Security Council, by its resolution 775 authorized an increase in strength of UNOSOM by four additional UN security units, for the protection of the humanitarian convoys and distribution centres throughout Somalia. Several of the Somali de facto authorities refused to agree to the deployment of United Nations troops and only one battalion and military observers were deployed to Mogadishu. Relief shipswere blocked from docking and even shelled. Air and seaports came under fire resulting in the non-delivery of relief supplies to areas where the need was most acute. On 3 December 1992, the Security Council authorized the use of all necessary means to establish, as soon as possible, a secure environment for humanitarian and relief operations in Somalia.The first elements of the Unified Task Force, spearheaded by the United States of America, were deployed in Mogadishu on 9 December 1992. Once their task was accomplished, the military command was handed over to the United Nations. Meanwhile, UNOSOM remained fully responsible for the political aspects and for humanitarian assistance to Somalia. In February 1994, after several violent incidents and attacks on United Nations soldiers, the Security Council revised UNOSOM II's mandate to exclude the use of coercive methods. UNOSOM II was withdrawn in early March 1995.

The background of the ribbon is sand or buff coloured symbolizing the dessert, with a wide center band of UN blue flanked by narrow stripes of dark green symbolizing hope. Qualifying time for the medal is 90 days of service in the Mission.

The countries of Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and Zimbabwe provide observers or troops to this Mission.