UNPROFOR
UNITED NATIONS PROTECTION FORCE
                        

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY

The United Nations Protection Force was established by Security Council Resolution 743 in February of 1992.

PURPOSE OF THE MISSION

The UNPROFO was established as an interim arrangement to create the conditions of peace and security required for the negotiation of an overall settlement of the Yugoslavian crisis. The role of UN troops was to ensure that areas designated as "UN Protected Areas" became and remained demilitarized and that all persons resididng in them were protected from fear of armed attack. The role of UN police monitors was to ensure that local police forces carried out their duties wihtout discriminating against persons of any nationality or abusing anyone's human rights. The force also assisted the humanitarian agenices of the United Nations in the return of all displaced persons who so desired.

There were seveal extensions of the original UNPROFOR mandate: reopening of the Sarajevo airport for humanitarian purposes; establishing a security zone encompassing Sarajevo and its airport; protection of convoys of released detainees in Bosnia and Herzegovina (if requested by the International Committee of the Red Cross); monitoring arrangements for the complete withdrawal of the Yugoslav Army from Croatia; the demilitarization of the Prevlaka Peninsula and the removal of heavy weapons from neighboring areas of Croatia and Montenegro; monitoring compliance with the ban on military flights; and the establishment of a United Nations presence in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

EFFECTIVE DATES

Qualifying service for this medal was from February of 1992 to January 31 of 1996.

CRITERIA

The United Nations Medal with this ribbon design was awarded to personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States who served for a period of not less than 90 days

DESIGNER

The design of the medal was specified by the United Nations.

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

The order of precedence for wearing the United Nations Medal is set by the national government of the recipients. In the case of the United States, this medal is worn after the UN Korean Medal and before the NATO Medal for "Former Yugoslavia."

DEVICES

Additional awards of any United Nations medal are denoted by bronze stars.

DESCRIPTION AND SYMBOLISM

The is the standard United Nations medal. The emblem of the United Nations is shown in the center of a bronze medallion. Above this emblem are the letters UN in the twelve o'clock position.

Reverse

The reverse bears the inscription IN THE SERVICE / OF PEACE in two lines in the center of the medal.

Ribbon



The ribbon has a background of United Nations blue, with a central wide band of red (representing the United Naitons Protected Areas), flanked by stripes of United Nations white. On the left side there is a narrow green stripe (representing forests), and on the right side, a narrow brown stripe (representing mountains).

                        


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