NATO Africa Miniature Medal

The NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. 

There are various NATO Africa missions, which include support activities in relation to the African Union from June 2008; Operation Allied Provider 2008; Operation Allied Protector 2009 and Operation Ocean Shield 2009 - 2016. The Ocean Shield mission was a counter piracy operation in the waters off the coast of Somalia and has helped to prevent or disrupt hundreds of pirate attacks. Many pirates were detained during the mission and prosecuted by national authorities. Since May 2012 not a single commercial vessel has been captured and the mission is considered one of NATO's most successful operations.

NATO medals are identical in design, with a bar worn on the ribbon to identify the specific mission. The bar for the Africa mission would bear the words 'AFRICA' and the ribbon is NATO blue with two white stripes at either side of the medal ribbon with a line of silver through the middle of each white stripe. 

Qualifying time for the medal is 30 days of continuous service or 60 days accumulated within 2 years, for all NATO operations relating to Africa. Subsequent tours of the same regions would be denoted with a numeral attached to the ribbon. British recipients are primarily Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel.

AWARD miniature medals complement the full-size official medals and are normally worn for formal dinner dress occasions.

All official medals are sent loose on the ribbon unless medal mounting is also purchased on the same order.