Ogunniya awarded CAF Special Service Medal

Royal Canadian Navy Master Seaman Malisa Ogunniya (center), Western Air Defense Sector Canadian Detachment chief clerk, 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 Ogunniya’s exceptional service in support of operations while onboard Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Winnipeg from July 2015 through January 2016. HMCS Winnipeg conducted operations under the standing NATO Maritime Group Two as part of Operation Reassurance, NATO’s mission to build maritime situational awareness in order to detect, deter and disrupt terrorism in the Mediterranean Sea. 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)