Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2015 to Question 221266, for what reasons applications to receive the UN Special Service medal can only be made within 12 months of leaving theatre.

UK Service personnel were not additionally eligible for the UNPROFOR Medal, the United Nations Special Service Medal, the NATO Medal, or the WEU Mission Service Medal in respect of the same period of operational service. Permission to accept and wear more than one of these medals will have been granted only when each period of qualifying service could be clearly differentiated. Concurrent qualification was not admissible.

Applications to receive the UN Special Service medal within 12 months of leaving theatre was a directive issued by the United Nations, to which the UK was obliged to adhere.

Information regarding eligibility to receive the medal in recognition of Service with the British Detachment in Sarajevo was originally promulgated to Armed Forces personnel and Ministry of Defence staff through Defence Council Instructions. This was the usual method of issuing instructions and guidance pertaining to medals at that time. For those who had already left service, information was available from their relevant medal office or Regimental Association.