New campaign medals: facts behind the designs

Afghanistan Medal

Iraq Medal

THE designs of the campaign medals are based on a traditional style that includes a generic obverse based on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms and images with heraldic or symbolic relevance to the area on the reverse of each medal.

Afghanistan Medal

The reverse of the Afghanistan Medal is based on a portion of a snow-capped mountain range with a multi-rayed sun rising behind the mountains.

The mountains represent the dominant terrain of the country and the rising sun represents a “new dawn” for the nation.

The word “Afghanistan” appears around the central device on the flan in English and in the Arabic script of the two dominant languages of Afghanistan, Dari and Pashton.

The ribbon designs for the Afghanistan Medal are a combination of:

• khaki – representing the dominant ground colour of the terrain;
  
• purple – representing the three arms of the ADF (the colour being a combination of dark blue, red and light blue);
  
• light blue – the sky above the mountains;
  
• white – the snow on the mountain peaks; and
  
• red – the conflict in Afghanistan.
  

Iraq Medal

The reverse of the Iraq Medal is based on a processional lion copied from a relief on the Gateway of the Temple of Ishtar in Babylon.

The lion was one of the dominant “power symbols” of the Assyrian Empire, being reserved to the ruling house and the higher priesthood of the dominant sects. The lion stands on a narrow plinth (for balance) and the word “Iraq” appears below.

The ribbon design for the Iraq Medal is a combination of:

• sand yellow – representing the desert sands of Iraq;
  
• purple – representing the ADF; and
  
• red - the conflict in Iraq.
  

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for the Air Force elements for both medals is based on the number of sorties (equivalent to the specific qualifying period), where those sorties were conducted over a period of not less than an aggregate of the same number of days at a rate of one sortie a day.

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