THE UNITED NATIONS MEDAL (UNOSOM)

Obverse: The United Nations global projection emblem, above which are the letters "UN".

Reverse: Plain, with the legend "IN THE SERVICE OF PEACE".

Size: 35mm in diameter.

Ribbon: 35mm wide, the ribbon for this medal has an 11mm blue centre stripe, 10mm yellow stripes at each edge, and between the blue and yellow stripes has 2mm green stripes. Ninety days of service in the Mission was necessary to qualify for award of the medal.

Suspension: The ribbon is threaded through a 12mm diameter ring, which passes through a loop fixed to the top of the piece. The ring will move forwards and backwards.

United Nations Operation in Somalia, 24 April 1992 to March 1995. Its mission was to secure an environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid shipments to the people of the region. The task was not helped by the fact that there was a power struggle taking place between rival factions within the country. The maximum strength of UNOSOM was 20,854 personnel. New Zealand had military observers and an Air Force transport unit attached to the force.

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