Wider Service Medal

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox award | name = Wider Service Medal | caption = Wider Service Medal | awarded_for = Wider campaign service | description = Silver disk, 36mm diameter | presenter = the United Kingdom | eligibility = Members of the United Kingdom armed forces | status = Currently awarded | established = 2024 | image = 300px | image2 = center|100pxRibbon bar<br> | caption2 = | campaign = Various operational deployments }} The '''Wider Service Medal''' is a British award intended to recognise the service of members of the armed forces and civilians on operations classed as being "below the threshold for war", with a level of risk regarded as lower than that for which personnel might be eligible to receive either a relevant Operational Service Medal, or the General Service Medal with appropriate clasp.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/new-medal-uk-wider-service-b2518491.html|last=Allingham|first=Pol|title=World-first new military medal launched after king gives official approval|website=Independent|date=26 March 2024|accessdate=26 March 2024}}</ref> ==Background== In 2012, a review led by Sir John Holmes into the awarding of medals to the armed forces indicated that campaign medals were awarded on the basis of "risk and rigour", defined in terms of:<ref>{{Cite book|last=Holmes|first=John|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61398/Medals-Interim-Report-July-12.pdf|title=Military Medals Review|publisher=UK Government|year=2012|pages=16}}</ref>

# The risk and danger to life. # The style and force of the enemy. # The physical and mental stress and rigours experienced by individuals. # The restrictions, limitations and difficulty in implementing the operation, including climate, weather and terrain

The changing nature of global operations leads to the potential that large numbers of personnel in support and enabling roles may in future not be eligible for the receipt of medals, while the increasing number of operations that do not meet the risk and rigour criteria for the award of either a campaign medal or the GSM with clasp would see personnel deployed for long periods on hazardous operations without the prospect of an award at the end. As a result, the Holmes Review, as part of its recommendations, suggested the creation of a new medal aimed at rewarding this kind of operational service that would not meet the general criteria for the award of a campaign medal.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Holmes|first=John|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61398/Medals-Interim-Report-July-12.pdf|title=Military Medals Review|publisher=UK Government|year=2012|pages=12}}</ref>

The concept for a new decoration was approved in principle by Queen Elizabeth II in December 2018.<ref name=ForcesWSM>{{cite web |url=https://www.forces.net/services/tri-service/new-wider-service-medal-recognise-gulf-indo-pacific-air-policing-and-estonia |title=New Wider Service Medal to recognise Gulf, Indo-Pacific, air policing and Estonia deployments |author= |date=28 March 2024 |website=Forces News |publisher=BFBS |access-date=28 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref> Final approval for the new decoration was granted by King Charles III in March 2024. ==Description== The obverse of the medal features the traditional effigy of the sovereign. The reverse depicts the crown within a ring containing the words "For Wider Service". From the ring emerge four arrows at the four cardinal points, symbolising "reach across the world", with the whole contained within a laurel wreath to symbolise service and achievement.<ref name=design>{{cite web |url=https://submarinefamily.uk/armed-forces-to-receive-new-wider-service-medal/ |title=Armed Forces to receive new Wider Service Medal |author= |date= |website=The Submarine Family |publisher=Friends of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum |access-date=28 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref>

The medal ribbon contains a central purple stripe, which is intended to signify the cross-government nature of operations, with symmetrical narrower stripes of white, sky blue, dark blue and green outside the central stripe - these signify air operations (sky blue), naval operations (dark blue) and land operations (green) respectively.<ref name=design /> ==Qualification== The criteria for receipt of the Wider Service Medal were laid out upon the announcement of its release. Award of the medal is retrospective from 11 December 2018.{{efn|group=note|The date upon which the new decoration received initial approval from Queen Elizabeth II.<ref name=ForcesWSM />}} Personnel must have served 180 days aggregated (not necessarily continuous) service on eligible operations. Additional service up to another 180 days will see individuals receive a bar to the medal, with a maximum of three bars capable of being awarded.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/operational-medals-is-broadened-with-the-new-wider-service-medal |title=Operational medals is broadened with the new Wider Service Medal |author= |date=26 March 2024 |website=UK Government |publisher= |access-date=28 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref>

The initial set of operations eligible for the award of the Wider Service Medal were:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forces.net/news/armed-forces-receive-new-wider-service-medal-heres-who-eligble |title=Armed Forces to receive new Wider Service Medal - here's who is eligible |author= |date=26 March 2024 |website=Forces News |publisher=BFBS |access-date=28 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2024/march/28/20240328-new-medal-acknowledges-front-line-efforts-by-navy-worldwide |title=New medal acknowledges front-line efforts by Navy worldwide |author= |date=28 March 2024 |website=Royal Navy |publisher= |access-date=28 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref> *Operation AZOTIZE - the UK contribution to the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forces.net/news/op-azotize-what-raf-doing-lithuania |title=Op Azotize: What Was The RAF's Role In Lithuania? |author= |date=2 September 2020 |website=Forces News |publisher=BFBS |access-date=2 April 2024 |quote=}}</ref><ref name=airpolicing>{{cite web |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/raf-typhoons-policing-natos-eastern-border/ |title=RAF Typhoons policing NATO's Eastern border |author= |date=10 April 2023 |website=Royal Air Force |publisher= |access-date=29 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref> *Operation BILOXI - the UK contribution to the NATO Southern Air Policing mission<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 August 2017 |title=RAF Typhoons hand over NATO Romania duties to Canada |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/raf-typhoons-hand-over-nato-romania-duties-to-canada-29082017 |access-date=2 April 2024 |website=Royal Air Force |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829145835/https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/raf-typhoons-hand-over-nato-romania-duties-to-canada-29082017/ |archive-date=29 August 2017}}</ref><ref name=airpolicing /> *Operation CABRIT - the forward deployment of UK land forces to Estonia and Poland as part of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mod.uk/deployments/baltics/ |title=Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) |author= |date= |website=British Army |publisher= |access-date=29 March 2024 |quote= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210135341/https://www.army.mod.uk/deployments/baltics/ |archive-date=10 February 2022}}</ref> *Operation KIPION - the ongoing UK presence in the Persian Gulf region<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/operations/red-sea-and-gulf/operation-kipion |title=Operation Kipion |author= |date= |website=Royal Navy |publisher= |access-date=29 March 2024 |quote= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120035357/https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/operations/red-sea-and-gulf/operation-kipion |archive-date=20 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/|title=Welcome to 83 Expeditionary Air Group|publisher=RAF|accessdate=29 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703042305/https://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/|archive-date=3 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Operation ORBITAL - the UK operation to provide training and support to Armed Forces of Ukraine from 2015 to 2022<ref name="explained">{{cite news |title=Operation ORBITAL explained: Training Ukrainian Armed Forces |url=https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/operation-orbital-explained-training-ukrainian-armed-forces-59405d32d604 |access-date=29 March 2024 |work=Ministry of Defence |date=21 December 2021}}</ref> *Operation RELENTLESS - the UK's Continuous At-Sea nuclear deterrent operation<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/united-kingdom/news/operation-relentless-uks-longest-operational-mission |title=Operation Relentless - The UK's longest operational mission |author= |date= |website=Thales Group |publisher= |access-date=29 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref> *Operation WOODWALL{{efn|group=note|Operation WOODWALL was renamed as Operation HIGHWALL in May 2024.<ref>{{cite report |author= |date=14 November 2024 |title=Biannual operational casualty report |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6731e04f0a2b4132b43d1386/ODS_tables_biannual_operational_casualty_and_fatality_stats_30_09_24.ods |work= |location= |publisher=Ministry of Defence |docket= |access-date=27 February 2026}}</ref>}} - the UK's forward deployment of two offshore patrol vessels to the Indo-Pacific region<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2024/february/07/20240207-hms-spey-drops-anchor-in-sri-lanka-for-maiden-visit-to-colombo |title=HMS Spey drops anchor in Sri Lanka for maiden visit to Colombo |author= |date=7 February 2024 |website=Royal Navy |publisher= |access-date=29 March 2024 |quote=}}</ref>

==Notes== {{reflist|group=note}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:British campaign medals Category:Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom Category:Civil awards and decorations of the United Kingdom