Swedish Armed Forces Medal of Merit
Swedish Armed Forces Medal of Merit is a Swedish reward medal established by the Swedish Armed Forces and is awarded to for action during combat or during war-like situations. The decision to award the medal is taken by the Supreme Commander and can be awarded to both Swedish and foreign personnel.
History
The medal was established through a merger between the Swedish Armed Forces International Service Medal of Reward and the Swedish Armed Forces Medal of Merit i silver eller guld med gult band. These two medals are no longer awarded.The Medal of Merit established in 2008 can be awarded regardless of the circumstances prevailing at the time of the operation; national, international operations, actions during war-like circumstances or other personal effort or activity. The medal criteria are also applicable if [Sweden is at war. The Medal of Merit will be awarded to anyone, whether he belongs to or operates in the Swedish Armed Forces or not and irrespective of his nationality.
Appearance
The medal is divided into two classes, gold medal and silver medal. The medal is made from gilded hallmarked silver and hallmarked silver with 31 mm diameter. The obverse side shows the Swedish Armed Forces heraldic arms and around the outer edge the text "FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICES". The reverse shows around the outer edge a laurel wreath and is otherwise smooth and can be equipped with the holder's name, year of awarding and, if appropriate, country. The medal is also made in miniature. There is also a diploma that comes with the medal.The medal is worn with a blue ribbon with a broad yellow stripe in the middle and one narrow on each side. On the ribbon there is an erect sword in gold or silver if the medal is awarded for actions in combat or during war-like situations. Instead of the medal, the service ribbon can be worn. It's provided with a horizontal sword of gold or silver if the medal awarded for actions in combat or during war-like situations.
Presenting
In each class, the medal can be awarded either for actions in battle or during war-like situations or for personal efforts in other circumstances. The medal may be awarded to Swedish and foreign citizens for meritorious services that benefited the Swedish Armed Forces and its operations. The decision to award the medal is taken by the Supreme Commander, usually following a proposal by the Supreme Commander's medal evaluation. The medal may be awarded posthumously and in that case, the medal is presented to the closest relative.The medal shall normally be awarded by the Supreme Commander during ceremoniously events, e.g. on the National Day of Sweden or other appropriate ceremoniously events. The decision to award the medal to a member of the Swedish Armed Forces shall be introduced in the Swedish Armed Forces' personnel records. The Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters also has a register of all medals awarded, and any reasons for this.
Criteria
The medal with certificate is awarded to individuals according to the following guidelines:| Medal with swords | Can be awarded for actions in combat or during war-like situations | Medal | Ribbon bar |
| Gold medal | - Great personal courage by risking their own lives - Very meritorious leadership of units under difficult circumstances - Very meritorious effort under difficult circumstances - On killed during service | ||
| Silver medal | - Great personal courage - Meritorious efforts under difficult circumstances | ||
| Medal without sword | Can be awarded for other situations | Medal | Ribbon bar |
| Gold medal | - Great personal courage by risking their own lives - Very meritorious efforts that benefited the Swedish Armed Forces - Meritorious efforts that benefited the Swedish Armed Forces - On killed during service | ||
| Silver medal | - Great personal courage - Meritorious efforts that benefited the Swedish Armed Forces |
Recipients
| Name | Home town | Rank | Place of action | Date of action | Date of awarding | Medal type | Notes | Sundbyberg | Kapten | Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan | Stockholm | Löjtnant | Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan | Stockholm | Sergeant | Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan | — | Fänrik | For great personal courage and risking his own life having made efforts under very difficult circumstances in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Private | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Korpral | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Private | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Private | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Fänrik | 2010 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life as well as very meritorious service and pioneering skills under difficult conditions in connection with actions during his service in Afghanistan. | — | Kapten | 2010 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, very meritorious leadership and meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions during his service in Afghanistan. | — | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, very meritorious leadership, pioneering skills and meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Kapten | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life as well for pioneering skills and very meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions during actions in Afghanistan. | — | Kapten | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life as well as for very meritorious effort under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Vicekorpral | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Private | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life as well as for meritorious effort under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Private | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life as well as for meritorious effort under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Korpral | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, very meritorious leadership and meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions in Afghanistan. | — | Löjtnant | 2010 | For very meritorious leadership, pioneering skills and meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions during his service in Afghanistan. | — | Löjtnant | 2010 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, very meritorious leadership, pioneering skills and meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions during his service in Afghanistan. | — | Löjtnant | 2010 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, very meritorious leadership, pioneering skills and meritorious service under difficult conditions in connection with actions during his service in Afghanistan. | — | Kapten | 2010 | For meritorious efforts and very meritorious leadership of the technical service under difficult conditions during his service in Afghanistan. | Veberöd | Kapten | Afghanistan | 2011 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, with very meritorious leadership, pioneering skills and meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan in the spring of 2011. | Malmö | 1st Sergeant | Afghanistan | 2011 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, with very meritorious leadership, pioneering skills and meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan in the spring of 2011. | Boden | Kapten | Afghanistan | 3 September 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage, and highly meritorious leadership, pioneering skills and meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan on 3 September 2012. | Täby | Private first class | Afghanistan | 22 January 2011 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious effort under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan on 22 January 2011. | Hässelby | Private first class | Afghanistan | 22 January 2011 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious effort under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan on 22 January 2011. | Malmö | Kapten | Afghanistan | 2011 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life, for meritorious leadership and meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan in the spring of 2011. | Eksjö | 1st Sergeant | Afghanistan | 23 March 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan on 23 March 2012. | Höllviken | Sergeant | Afghanistan | 23 March 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan on 23 March 2012. | Halmstad | Korpral | Afghanistan | 23 March 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan on 23 March 2012. | Uppsala | Korpral | Afghanistan | 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan in 2012. | Västerås | Private | Afghanistan | 3 September 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage and risking his own life and for meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in connection with the action in Afghanistan on 3 September 2012. | Stockholm | Korpral | Afghanistan | 2011 | For meritorious efforts under difficult conditions and a long-standing and exemplary mentoring before and during a number of operations in Afghanistan, including in 2011. | Göteborg | Löjtnant | Afghanistan | 2011 | For having acted with great personal courage and for very meritorious services during his service in Afghanistan in 2011. | Stockholm | Private first class | Afghanistan | 2011 | For a particularly meritorious and exemplary contribution as a cook under difficult conditions and meritorious efforts as a soldier during his service in Afghanistan in 2011. | Skövde | 1st Sergeant | Uganda | 30 July 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage, and risking his own life, and for a very meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in Uganda on 30 July 2012. | Stockholm | 1st Sergeant | Uganda | 30 July 2012 | For having acted with great personal courage, and risking his own life, and for a very meritorious efforts under difficult conditions in Uganda on 30 July 2012. | Åkarp | Löjtnant | Afghanistan/Sweden | 2013 | For exemplary efforts for several years in his service branch with the goal of creating a high combat value, sound resource management and positive attitude to the equipment service in the unit. Particularly proven during service in Afghanistan in 2013. | Lund | Löjtnant | Afghanistan/Sweden | 2013 | For exemplary efforts for several years in his service branch with the goal of creating a high combat value, sound resource management and positive attitude to the technical service within the unit. Particularly proven during service in Afghanistan in 2013. | Rena, Norway | Lieutenant colonel | Afghanistan | 2013 | For particularly good leadership, very high professionalism and unselfish work to support Sweden for successful results in a multinational context in Afghanistan in 2013. | Linköping | Förvaltare | Sala, Sweden | 2014 | For having under extreme conditions, with excellent leadership and great skill and with great courage and risk of his own live, rescued five civilians from a probable death in connection with forest fire in Sala, Västmanland, Sweden in 2014. | Nykil | Förvaltare | Sala, Sweden | 2014 | For having under extreme conditions, demonstrated a very high level of professionalism as well risking his own life, rescued five civilians from a probable death in connection with forest fire in Sala, Västmanland, Sweden in 2014. | Sturefors | Löjtnant | Sala, Sweden | 2014 | For having under extreme conditions, with great professionalism, improvisational ability, initiative and with great courage and risking his own life, rescued five civilians from a probable death in connection with forest fire in Sala, Västmanland, Sweden in 2014. | Linköping | Fanjunkare | Sala, Sweden | 2014 | For having under extreme conditions, with great professionalism, improvisational ability, initiative and with great courage and risking his own life, rescued five civilians from a probable death in connection with forest fire in Sala, Västmanland, Sweden in 2014. | Strängnäs | Överstelöjtnant | Afghanistan | 2013 | For having, during his service in Afghanistan, demonstrated exemplary behavior, high levels of action, pioneering skills, integrity and responsibility under difficult conditions in a multinational context that benefited the relationship with the Afghan Army. | Strängnäs | Military lawyer | Sweden | 2014 | With insightfulness, very good judgment and tact, as a military lawyer with environmental law as specialty, having for many years done meritorious efforts for the benefit of the Swedish Armed Forces. | Halmstad | Logistical manager | Sweden | 2014 | For considerable initiative and personal commitment in the development and implementation of new working methods and strengthening the Swedish Armed Forces Logistics' brand, both internally and externally, as well as meritorious efforts which benefited the Swedish Armed Forces. | — | — | Unknown | — | 2016 | — | — | Unknown | — | 2016 | — | — | Unknown | — | 2016 | Hörby | Fanjunkare | Karlskrona, Sweden | 2016 | For resourceful and skilled intervention with great presence of mind under pressured conditions and with great personal courage and danger for one's own lives, having prevented a major explosion which could have posed a major danger to personnel in the area and caused major material damage in connection with the accident at DNC, in Karlskrona. | Borensberg | Kapten | Sveg, Sweden | 2017 | For resourceful intervention and with excellent professionalism, during chaotic conditions with great presence of mind and force of action, having landed a helicopter after an air collision, thereby saving both lives and material in connection with the accident in Sveg, Sweden. | — | — | Unknown | 2010 | 2017 | For actions during 2010. | Solna | Överstelöjtnant | Bamako, Mali | For great personal courage under difficult conditions and ongoing battle performed meritorious services and assisted the civilians to reach safety during the terrorist attack on a hotel in Bamako, Mali. | Lund | Sergeant | Timbuktu, Mali | For great personal courage and meritorious service, quickly and resourceful carried out life-saving measures on a Liberian colleague and fought and limited a fire during an ongoing shooting against the international camp in Timbuktu, Mali. | Arvidsjaur | Major | Timbuktu, Mali | For his meritorious leadership under difficult conditions during the period May–November 2017. Particularly highlighted is major Andersson's excellent leadership of the unit, exercised with great security, keeping his cool and high acuteness, despite limited intelligence and high threat from terrorist attack against the UN's sector headquarters in Timbuktu, Mali. | Myggenäs | Sergeant | For great personal courage and risking his own life having struggled in the icy water for thirty minutes in the common effort to try to save lives in the armoured recovery vehicle accident in Alån, Boden. | Lycksele | Sergeant | 2018 | For great personal courage and risking his own life having struggled in the icy water for thirty minutes in the common effort to try to save lives in the armoured recovery vehicle accident in Alån, Boden. | Boden | Löjtnant | For great personal courage and without hesitation having struggled in the icy water for thirty minutes in the common effort to try to save lives in the armoured recovery vehicle accident in Alån, Boden. | Gothenburg | Private | For great personal courage and without hesitation having struggled in the icy water for thirty minutes in the common effort to try to save lives in the armoured recovery vehicle accident in Alån, Boden. | Boden | Löjtnant | For great personal courage and without hesitation having struggled in the icy water for thirty minutes in the common effort to try to save lives in the armoured recovery vehicle accident in Alån, Boden. | Falun | — | For great presence of mind having taken a leading responsibility in coordinating the care of staff with hypothermia in the common effort to try to save lives in the armoured recovery vehicle accident in Alån, Boden. | Gothenburg | Vice korpral | Unknown | Killed during service. | Skärblacka | Kapten | For great personal courage and risking his own life and for the very meritorious effort under difficult circumstances in connection with the riot at the camp in Bihanga, Uganda. | Malmö | Sergeant | For great personal courage and meritorious services quickly and resourceful helped save lives as well as material in connection with the fire in the Nigerian field hospital in the international camp in Timbuktu, Mali. | Stockholm | Löjtnant | For great personal courage and meritorious services, having rescued a vulnerable colleague during ongoing shelling against the International Campus in Mogadishu, Somalia | Storuman | Sergeant | For great personal courage at a high pace and with a high degree of presence of mind, carried out meritorious efforts during the terrorist attack against the UN's sector headquarters in Timbuktu, Mali. | Arvidsjaur | Vicekorpral | For great personal courage, retained coolness in a dangerous situation and with a high degree of presence of mind, made meritorious efforts during the terrorist attack against the UN's sector headquarters in Timbuktu, Mali. |