The Multinational Force and Observers Medal is an

international military decoration An international decoration is a military award which is not bestowed by a particular country, but rather by an international organization such as the United Nations or NATO. Such awards are normally issued as attendance medals, for participation ...

which was first created on March 24, 1982. The medal was established under the authority of the Director-General of the

Multinational Force and Observers The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) is an international peacekeeping force overseeing the terms of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. The MFO generally operates in and around the Sinai peninsula, ensuring free navigation through ...

(MFO) which were established to monitor a neutral ceasefire zone, between

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

and

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, as the result of the

Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was fought from 6 to 25 October 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab world, Arab states led by Egypt and S ...

of 1973.

Criteria

Eligibility for initial award of the MFO Service Medal will be six months (minimum 170 days) of honorable duty. However, eligibility for the initial award will be considered satisfied in the event that:
* The award is to be made posthumously * The Member is medically repatriated due to MFO service-incurred injury or illness * The Member completes a contingent tour of less than six months, as agreed between the Director General and the respective Participating State.

Clasps and Bars

Silver numerals, beginning with numeral '2', worn on the medal ribbon are awarded for additional periods of service with the same or subsequent missions. Upon reception of a Force Commander's Commendation, an additional pin displaying the MFO Symbol will be authorized for wear on the medal ribbon.

Manner of wear

Australian Defence Force

The Multinational Force and Observers Medal is authorized to be worn as a foreign medal for the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...

(ADF). The medal is worn after Australian medals, with other foreign awards, in the order of date of receipt.

British Armed Forces

Prior to 2017, The Multinational Force and Observers Medal could not be worn by British Forces personnel. However, in 2017 authority was given for the medal to be worn alongside other British awards and medals but being a foreign medal, is to be worn after all other British medals.London Gazette 11 January 2019 Supplement:62529 Page:328 The authority to wear the medal has been given retrospectively to all those who served for 170 days or more with the MFO since 1982.

Canadian Forces

The Multinational Force and Observers Medal is considered an authorized medal within the ''International Mission Medals'' category (located after NATO Awards and before Commemorative Awards) for the

Canadian Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

(CF). Its

order of precedence An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of importance applied to individuals, groups, or organizations. For individuals, it is most often used for diplomats in attendance at very formal occasions. It can also be used in the context of ...

within the International Missions Medals category is based on date of award (1982–present) and may be worn directly after the International Commission of Control and Supervision Medal (1973) and before the

European Community Monitor Mission The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM), between 1991 and 2000 known as the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM), was a mission of the European Union in the former Yugoslavia. History The European Union Monitoring Mission began opera ...

Medal for Yugoslavia (1991).

New Zealand Defence Force

The Multinational Force and Observers Medal is considered an authorized medal for the

New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; , "Line of Defence of New Zealand") is the three-branched military of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and its realm, promoting its interests, ...

(NZDF) within the ''Foreign Medals'' category, the last category in the New Zealand order of precedence. The MFO Medal is worn directly after the Kuwait Liberation Medal and the

Korean War Service Medal The Korean War Service Medal (KWSM, , ), also known as the Republic of Korea War Service Medal (ROKWSM), is a military award of South Korea which was first authorized in December 1950. History 6.25 Incident Participation Medal Originally and te ...

United States Armed Forces

The

United States military The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

began issuing the Multinational Force and Observers Medal on July 28, 1982. The medal was made retroactive to August 1981 and was presented to any United States service member who served at least ninety cumulative days as a member of the Multinational Force and Observers. On March 15, 1985, the time period was increased to a minimum of 170 days. The time frame could be waived if the award was presented posthumously, a service member was medically evacuated from the region, or if the Director-General of the Multinational Force and Observers presented the award for a specific act or special case. The Multinational Force and Observers Medal is authorized for wear as a United States military award under the category of "Non-U.S. service award" and is worn after all U.S. decorations and before foreign awards of individual countries. Multiple presentations are denoted by

award numerals An Arabic numeral device or numeral device sometimes called an "award numeral", is a United States Armed Forces service device that may be authorized for wear on specific service ribbons and suspension ribbons of medals. Arabic numeral devices ar ...

. Similar international military decorations include the NATO Service Medals and the United Nations Service Medals.

Precedence

Some orders of precedence are as follows:

References

{{reflist

External links

Multinational Force & Observers website

US Army Institute of Heraldry
Medals of the Multinational Force and Observers