Advanced search
image
Global issues
   

Civilian Service Medal to recognise efforts in Afghanistan


On 7 June 2011 the Foreign Secretary laid a Command Paper before Parliament instituting the Civilian Service Medal (Afghanistan). The medal will be awarded to civilians who are dedicated to the government's work towards a stable and secure Afghanistan.

Civilians carry out a vast range of work, including work on diplomacy, policing and justice, to complement the military efforts in Afghanistan.

The UK's Stabilisation Unit, a joint civilian-military mission, supplies many experts to Afghanistan. The Unit draws on a wide range of people, from agricultural advisers to economists and project managers to retired police officers, to deploy in Afghanistan.

Just outside Lashkar Gar, the capital of the Helmand province in Afghanistan, experts are currently promoting policing and justice, developing local government institutions, and countering the narcotics industry.

The eligibility criteria for the medal are:

Any Crown servant, whether recruited in the United Kingdom, Afghanistan or elsewhere, including Members of Her Majesty's UK Armed Forces, under Operational Control of the FCO who satisfy the qualification criteria and are not qualifying for any other medal including the Operational Service Medal Afghanistan and Accumulated Campaign Service Medal.

Please Note: Non- FCO staff must obtain a letter of support (showing deployment dates and role) from Human Resources in the government department they worked for in Afghanistan. Applications submitted without this letter will not be processed.

Ineligible are:

  • Members of the armed services under the command of the UK Joint task force Commander/Commander Joint Operations
  • Those serving with an International Organisation or Government in Afghanistan
  • All subcontractors not directly under contract to The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • Locally employed civilians
The Command Paper provides further details on the criteria for eligibility and is available to download below.

Further information