NATO Macedonia 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. 

Between 2001 and 2003, NATO engaged in three separate operations at the request of the Republic of North Macedonia. These operations helped to quell tension between the country’s ethnic Albanian minority and national security forces. Operation Essential Harvest helped to disarm Albanian extremists on a voluntary basis. Operation Amber Fox was to ensure the protection of international monitors from the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Operation Allied Harmony provided continued support for the international monitors and assisted the Government in taking ownership of security throughout the country. 

This NATO medal is the only one awarded without a clasp. This is due to the Greek province of Macedonia having the same name as would have appeared on the bar, and Greece was opposed to using the name of her province on a NATO medal.

NATO medals are identical in design, with only a different ribbon to identify the specific mission in this case. The NATO Macedonia ribbon is NATO blue with two white stripes at either side of the medal ribbon and narrow white lines on the edge of the ribbon.

Qualifying time for the medal is 30 days of service continuous or accumulated, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Subsequent tours of the same regions would be denoted with a numeral attached to the ribbon.

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.