This departmental award was introduced relatively recently (in 2015) by the Order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. We are talking about the medal "Participant in a military operation in Syria." In the article we will provide a description of it, important excerpts from the Regulations on this award, and benefits awarded to the awarded.
a brief description of
This medal is one of 8 departmental awards of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Accordingly, it was established by Order of the Ministry No. 732 (2015).
By Order of the Minister of Defense No. 777 of 2017, she (with minor changes) was already left in the new award system of this Russian department.
Initially, this award was given only to military personnel. But from the beginning of 2016, it began to celebrate the merits of civilians - politicians, artists, athletes, who arrived in Syrian Hmeimim (the Russian air base was located there) to maintain the spirit of the Russian military helping Syria get rid of terrorists.
Award institution
09/30/2015 Syrian President Bashar Assad appealed to the Russian Federation with a request for official military assistance in the fight against the Islamic State group. His appeal was based on the treaty "On friendship and cooperation between the SAR and the USSR" (1980), the Russian Federation being the successor party.
On the same day, the Russian Federation Council agreed to the President of the Russian Federation to use the Armed Forces of the State to conduct certain actions in Syria. They limited themselves to the use of Russian Aerospace Forces to support the Syrian ground forces. Ground operations involving the Russian military were not planned.
09/30/2015 the aviation group of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation (bombers, attack aircraft, helicopters, fighter jets) began to carry out targeted attacks on the identified positions of the armed points of the Islamic State group.
The operation was also attended by strategic aircraft of Russian Long-Range Aviation, special forces units. Some of the identified targets were fired by cruise missiles launched from Russian ships belonging to the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla.
As we have already mentioned, the institution of the medal “To the participant of the military operation in Syria” is reinforced by Order of the Ministry of Defense No. 732 (2015). In March 2016, the same Ministry announced a tender for the manufacture of more than 10 thousand such medals.
By Order No. 777 (2017) of the same Russian Ministry of Defense, this medal was retained in the new system of ministerial awards. In it, she took the last (8th) place. Accordingly, it is located after Mikhail Kalashnikov.
According to this order, the appearance of the award was slightly changed - another black strip 2 mm wide was added to the center of her ribbon.
Position
Let us turn to the Regulation on the medal "To a participant in the military operation in Syria." It can be awarded to both military personnel and civilian personnel of the Russian Armed Forces:
- For the successful management of the actions of their subordinates directly during the military operation in the Syrian Arab Republic (abbreviated as ATS).
- For courage, distinction, dedication that were shown when participating in one of the military operations in the SAR.
- For selfless work and a great personal contribution to achieving the goals of military operations in the ATS.
I must say that the medal “to the Participant of the Syrian military operation” can also be awarded to other Russian or foreign citizens for their assistance in achieving the goals that were assigned to the Russian Armed Forces during the Syrian operations.
This medal is given to a citizen in a festive atmosphere. He is awarded either by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation or other responsible officials on his behalf. Along with the medal, the awarded must also be issued a certificate-appendix to it in the established form.
Description
We pass to the next question. Consider the description of the medal "Participant in a military operation in Syria."
This is a regular circle made of brass (golden metal). The diameter of such a circle is 32 mm. On both sides there is a shoulder (a slightly convex rim that borders the medal around the entire circumference) with a rough surface.
On the front of the coin is a schematic representation of the Syrian Arab Republic on a geographical map. Against its background, flying Russian military fighters, a tanker (rocket ship) are depicted. They symbolize the help of the Russian people to the Syrian. Images are monochrome, convex.
On the reverse of the medal, in the center, you can see a large relief inscription that fits in four lines: "PARTICIPANT OF THE MILITARY OPERATION IN SYRIA". But that is not all. Above it is a schematic representation of the emblem of the Russian Ministry of Defense. In a circle along the shoulder of the medal is another large and the same embossed inscription, forming a closed ring: "MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION". All letters, images here are monochromatic, convex (embossed).
As for the emblem of the Ministry of Defense, this is a two-headed eagle, which in the image has spread its wings. Over his heads is a crown. In the right paw of the eagle we can see the sword, and in the left - the symbolic oak wreath. At the level of his chest is a triangular shield, slightly elongated downward. A stock rising to the crown of an eagle is also drawn here. If you look closely, then in the field of this shield you can see the image of a horseman striking a mythical creature with a spear - a snake (or dragon).
Applications
The medal "To the participant of the military operation in Syria" at the top has a small mount - a ring and a special eye. It will be it that will connect the award with a 5-sided block, which is covered with moire tape. The latter is painted on the right side with three equal colored stripes - white, ruby and black. On the left side you can see a wide golden (or yellowish) strip. On the edge it is framed by a thin black border.
For storage, a special transparent plastic case is attached to the medal.
About wearing an award
How to wear the medal "Participant in a military operation in Syria"? The reward is easily attached to clothes with a special pin clip.
A medal (or ribbon of a given medal) is worn on the left side of the chest. If the awarded person has other medals, badges, then he has this one after the award “Mikhail Kalashnikov”.
About award certificate
For the medal "Participant in a military operation in Syria," a special certificate is issued. It contains the following information:
- F. I. O. awarded.
- The number, name, date of publication of the act of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, according to which a citizen is awarded this award.
- The military rank, position, as well as the name and surname of the person who performed the award of the named medal.
- All the above information in the certificate must be certified with the appropriate stamp.
Eligibility
Many of the awarded are interested in what privileges are given for the medal “To a participant in a military operation in Syria”. Immediately, we note that this award in itself does not provide its owner with any preferences. Also, the recipient is not allowed to pay cash bonuses, benefits, material assistance from the Russian federal budget.
But those involved in the military operation in the SAR need to pay attention to the following.
About the status of WBD
In early April 2016, the Russian President signed an act according to which all the Russian military participating in the Syrian operation received the status of war veterans (abbreviated as WBD). Namely, it gives the right to receive a number of state benefits. For example, in 2016 alone, about 968 million rubles were allocated for financing for this purpose. And this is only for preferences to the participants in the operation in the SAR.
In particular, veterans can count on the following benefits:
- Obtaining appropriate retirement benefits.
- Benefits that apply to tax payments.
- The provision of housing.
- Benefits for medical care.
Medical Preferences
The status of WBD retains the right of its owner to receive free medical care in those organizations to which a citizen was attached before reaching a "military" pension. He is entitled to extraordinary medical care.
Current Russian legislation also provides for the right to receive free prostheses by veterans (dentures are the only exception to the law). If a citizen purchased them earlier at his own expense, he has the right to receive compensation from the state.
Other benefits
We will analyze in detail other benefits that are provided in Russia to war veterans (including those involved in operations in the ATS):
- The pre-emptive right when joining housing, construction, garage cooperatives, as well as in various non-profit associations - gardening, gardening and so on.
- Preemptive right when receiving communication services, when contacting cultural, sports, educational, health institutions.
- Veterans have the right to early purchase tickets for all available modes of transport.
- In relation to citizens with WBD status, the right to free vocational training and additional education is introduced. It is important to note that educational services here are not paid by the state, but by the employer of the veteran.
- Benefits for the provision of funeral services. In particular, the state guarantees full reimbursement of expenses for the delivery of the body of the deceased to the place of burial, the burial itself, as well as the manufacture of a tombstone and the establishment of a fence.
Preferences for civilian personnel serving military units
Privileges are provided not only directly to participants in military operations in the SAR, but also to personnel serving Russian military units in Syria. They also acquire the status of veterans, and with it the right to receive the following benefits:
- Extraordinary medical care in the medical institutions to which they were attached before reaching the "military" pension.
- Based on the current norms of Russian legislation, these categories of persons are also provided with housing.
- They are given the preemptive right in the distribution of free trips (paid from the state budget) to sanatorium institutions. But here it is important to comply with the conditions: the applicant should have confirmation on the medical card about the need for such prevention, rehabilitation, and restoration of general well-being.
- This category of citizens is also provided with the right to free professional education, additional professional training. All expenses here, as in the previous case, are paid by the employer.
- Preemptive right when joining various kinds of non-profit organizations and cooperatives.
- Extraordinary installation of landline phone.
- Partial government funding of the burial of this category of veterans.
The medal of a participant in a military operation in the SAR (2015) was established relatively recently. We examined what kind of person she was presented with, what this award looks like, how to wear it properly. By itself, it does not provide its owners with benefits. However, they gain them by gaining the status of war veterans.