Star of Military Valour
Encyclopedia
The Star of Military Valour is a decoration
that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award for military valour, and one of three honours for military valour gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy
-in-Council
. Created in 1993, the medal is presented to both living and deceased members of the Canadian Forces
deemed to have demonstrated "distinguished and valiant service in the presence of the enemy," and grants recipients the ability to use the post-nominal letters
SMV.
, on 27 October 2006; only with Canada's participation in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan
did there emerge, for the first time since 1993, circumstances wherein one could carry out actions deserving of the Star of Military Valour.
compass star Celeste with a maple leaf in each angle. On the obverse is a roundel at the centre of the star, bearing a gold maple leaf on a red enamel
background and surrounded by a silver laurel wreath
. The reverse bears on the upper arm the Royal Cypher
of the reigning monarch beneath a St. Edward's Crown
symbolizing the Canadian monarch's roles as both fount of honour
and Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces and the inscription PRO VALORE. Below this is engraved the name and rank of the recipient.
This medallion is worn on the left chest, on a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) wide crimson ribbon with two vertical white stripes: for men, hung from a bar, and for women, on a ribbon bow, both pinned to the left chest. Should an individual already possessing a Star of Military Valour be awarded the medal again for subsequent valourous acts, he or she is granted a simple gold medal bar
, bearing a maple leaf at its centre, for wear on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended;
, or members of allied armed forces serving alongside the Canadian Forces, who have shown conspicuous acts of valour in the face of enemy hostility. Should a person meet these criteria, nominations are made through his or her chain of command
to the Military Valour Decorations Advisory Committee a part of the Chancellery of Honours at Government House
which then makes its recommendations to the Governor General of Canada
, via the Chief of the Defence Staff
. Once they have been decorated with the Star of Military Valour, recipients are granted the right to use the post-nominal letters
SMV. The Star of Military Valour can be awarded posthumously, as well as multiple times; as of August 2009, the decoration has been awarded eight times, though no bars have yet been issued.
State decoration
State decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a state. International decorations are similar, but are not granted by a specific nation but rather an international organization....
that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award for military valour, and one of three honours for military valour gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
. Created in 1993, the medal is presented to both living and deceased members of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
deemed to have demonstrated "distinguished and valiant service in the presence of the enemy," and grants recipients the ability to use the post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
SMV.
History
On 2 February 1993, three decorations, including the Star of Military Valour, were created by Queen Elizabeth II as a family of Canadian military valour decorations. The first awarding of the star was by Governor General Michaëlle JeanMichaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
, on 27 October 2006; only with Canada's participation in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan
Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan
Canada did not have a significant role in the first few months of the invasion of Afghanistan that began on October 7, 2001, and the first contingents of regular Canadian troops arrived in Afghanistan only in January–February 2002. Canada took on a larger role starting in 2006 after the Canadian...
did there emerge, for the first time since 1993, circumstances wherein one could carry out actions deserving of the Star of Military Valour.
Design
The Star of Military Valour is in the form of a silver-giltSilver-gilt
Silver-gilt or gilded/gilt silver, sometimes known in American English by the French term vermeil, is silver gilded with gold. Most large objects made in goldsmithing that appear to be gold are actually silver-gilt; for example most sporting trophies, medals , and many crown jewels...
compass star Celeste with a maple leaf in each angle. On the obverse is a roundel at the centre of the star, bearing a gold maple leaf on a red enamel
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
background and surrounded by a silver laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
. The reverse bears on the upper arm the Royal Cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
of the reigning monarch beneath a St. Edward's Crown
St. Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
symbolizing the Canadian monarch's roles as both fount of honour
Fount of honour
The fount of honour refers to a nation's head of state, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry to other persons.- Origin :...
and Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces and the inscription PRO VALORE. Below this is engraved the name and rank of the recipient.
This medallion is worn on the left chest, on a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) wide crimson ribbon with two vertical white stripes: for men, hung from a bar, and for women, on a ribbon bow, both pinned to the left chest. Should an individual already possessing a Star of Military Valour be awarded the medal again for subsequent valourous acts, he or she is granted a simple gold medal bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, bearing a maple leaf at its centre, for wear on the ribbon from which the original medal is suspended;
Eligibility and presentation
The star is awarded only to members of the Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, or members of allied armed forces serving alongside the Canadian Forces, who have shown conspicuous acts of valour in the face of enemy hostility. Should a person meet these criteria, nominations are made through his or her chain of command
Chain of Command
Chain of Command may refer to:* Chain of command, in a military context, the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed* "Chain of Command" , the fifth episode of the first season of Beast Wars...
to the Military Valour Decorations Advisory Committee a part of the Chancellery of Honours at Government House
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
which then makes its recommendations to the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, via the Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...
. Once they have been decorated with the Star of Military Valour, recipients are granted the right to use the post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
SMV. The Star of Military Valour can be awarded posthumously, as well as multiple times; as of August 2009, the decoration has been awarded eight times, though no bars have yet been issued.
Recipients
In chronological order, the recipients have been:- Sergeant Patrick TowerPatrick TowerWarrant Officer Patrick Tower, SMV, CD is a Canadian soldier who was the first recipient of the Star of Military Valour, a Canadian military decoration, in recognition of actions under enemy fire taken in the Pashmul region of Afghanistan...
, awarded 25 October 2006 - Major William Hilton Fletcher , awarded 18 December 2006
- Private Jess Randall Larochelle , awarded 14 March 2007
- Corporal Sean Teal , awarded 14 March 2007
- Master-Corporal J. Donovan Ball , awarded 26 June 2008
- Sergeant William Kenneth MacDonald , awarded 4 April 2008
- Major David Quick , awarded 8 January 2008
- Captain Jonathan Snyder , awarded posthumously 26 June 2008
- Warrant Officer David Shultz , awarded 13 November 2009
- Master Corporal Jeremy Pinchin , awarded 4 June 2010
- Master Warrant Officer Richard Stacey , awarded 11 June 2011
- Captain Gabriel Chasse-Jean , awarded 11 June 2011
- Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas Arthur Ratzlaff
- 3 unnamed members of the Canadian Special Operations Forces CommandCanadian Special Operations Forces CommandCanadian Special Operations Forces Command , is a command of the Canadian Forces...
, awarded 11 Mar 2011