Royal Canadian Air Force Sgt. Yves Truchon (center), Western Air Defense Sector Canadian Detachment command and control battle manager, is awarded the Canadian Armed Forces Special Service Medal with NATO bar from Lt. Col. Michael Fawcett, WADS Canadian Detachment commander (left), Dec. 1, 2018 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The medal was awarded for Truchon’s exceptional service conducting operations as part of Task Force 2011 (409th Fighter Squadron) and Task Force 2013 (425th Fighter Squadron) during Operation Ignition, the RCAF contribution to the NATO air policing mission over Iceland, providing airborne surveillance and interception capabilities to meet Iceland’s peacetime preparedness needs. The Special Service Medal was created to recognize members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have performed a service determined to be under exceptional circumstances, in a clearly defined locality for a specified duration. The SSM is always issued with a bar that specifies the special service being recognized, each bar having its own criteria. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Kimberly D. Burke)