Country Canada Distinct
recipients 7 | Established 2002 | |
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Eligibility Unit or sub-unit of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) or similar organization of a foreign armed force working with or in conjunction with the CAF Awarded for Extraordinary deed or activity of a rare high standard in extremely hazardous circumstances Description Gold-tone bar with the vice-regal lion in full colour | ||
The Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation (French: Mention élogieuse du commandant en chef à l'intention des unités) is a Canadian award given to military units for "an extraordinary deed or activity of a rare high standard in extremely hazardous circumstances".
Contents
Not only Canadian military units are eligible; Commonwealth and foreign units are also eligible if the deed occurred while serving alongside Canadian forces.
Recipients
Established in 2002, the commendation has been issued seven times:
Insignia
The insignia of the commendation is a gold-tone bar overlaid with the crest from Canada's royal arms, which is used as the heraldic badge of the governor general and commander in chief. This insignia is worn on the left, right or both breasts of ceremonial, mess and service dress uniforms.
Members who were serving with the unit during the commended actions wear the insignia on the left breast. Current members of the commended unit wear the insignia on the right breast, and those who were members both currently and at the commended action wear it on both breasts.
The recipient units can fly the commendation pennant in perpetuity. This pennant is a rectangular flag, divided vertically into dark blue, red and sky blue sections, with the crest from the royal arms centred. The heraldic blazon is Tierced in pale azure, gules and bleu celeste, the crest of the royal arms of Canada (on a wreath argent and gules a lion passant guardant or imperially crowned proper and holding in the dexter paw a maple leaf gules).