The OSCE Medal
Edward J. Emering
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Eu- rope (OSCE) is composed of 55 nations spanning the globe. It has labored in relative obscurity as the primary instrument for early warning, crisis prevention and man- agement, and post-conflict rehabilitation since 1973. Its geographical areas of concern include continental Eu- rope, the Causcasus, central Asia and North America. The protection of human rights in conjunction with economic and environmental cooperation is an integral part of the OSCE mission.
While the OSCE has no legal status under international law, its decisions are politically binding. In the mid-90s the unrest in the Former Yugoslavia vaulted the OSCE into a more prominent role. As recently as December 1998, the OSCE played a leading role in attempting to maintain the peace in Kosovo Province. The OSCE dis- patched approximately 1,400 unarmed peace verifiers drawn from volunteers from its member nations. These verifiers labored unsuccessfully until late March 1999, when they were withdrawn shortly before the outbreak of hostilities between NATO and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
As with many international bodies, the OSCE instituted a medal of its own in 1997. The medal may be awarded to both military and civilian personnel in recognition of distinguished service rendered to the OSCE. Service may be either as an official of the OSCE or in the form of external support.
The bronze medal (Figure 1) is described as being of
"standard" size. The obverse of the planchet bears the
inscription: OSCE, OSZE, ObCE in three rows, one on
top of the other, surrounded by olive branches. The re-
verse is inscribed: BENE MERENTI AD OSCE (Dis- tinguished Service to the OSCE.) The ribbon is com-
posed of three equal vertical stripes of blue/white/blue
with white edging on each side. A service ribbon also
accompanies the award of the medal.
Recommendations for award of the OSCE Medal may emanate from the Chairman-in-Office, the Secretary General, heads of various OSCE institutions, heads of various OSCE missions and from any of the 55 nations.
To date, only two OSCE Medals have been awarded. The first was presented to Dr. Franz Vranitzky of Austria in recognition of his outstanding service in Albania. As Per-
sonal Representative of the Chairman between March and November 1997, a role authorized in 1992, Dr. Vranitzky was successful in brokering a peace and bringing stabil- ity to troubled Albania. The second OSCE Medal was awarded to Ambassador Jan Kubis of Slovakia. Ambas- sador Kubis served as Chairman of the Committee of Senior Officials in 1992 and as Director of the Conflict Prevention Center from July 1994 through July 1998.
Figure 1: Obverse of the OSCE Medal
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OMSA News
The Orders and Medals Society of America would like to thank the following members who showed their sup- port by donating to the OMSA Fund for OMDR Research in 2003:
Anonymous Chris Cornet Robert Gill (in memory of his wife, Irma) James K. Hitch (in memory Of Virgina Medlen) Robert H. Reynolds Barry C. Weaver
Vol. 55, No. 1 41
Secretarys Report November - December 2003
New Members 2004
Those listed as new members have applied for 2004 membership in the Orders and Medals Society of America. If no proper written
objection to such membership is received from any member in good standing within sixty (60) days of publication, the applicant
shall accordingly be admitted to membership (Article Ill, Section 3 of the OMSA Constitution, and Article III, Section 2 of the OMSA
By-Laws). The collecting interests of each new member as provided on the membership application are shown following each new
members address.
#7390 #7391 #7392 #7393
#7394 #7395 #7396 #7397 #7398
#7399 #7400
#7401
#7402
#7403
#7404
-Francis L. Kapp (OMSA Online), 5121 Crestway - Suite 514, San Antonio, TX, 78239 - Richard T. Pietryka (Secretary), 1400 South Joyce Street Apt 116, Arlington, VA 22202 -Mary Rose Cassa (Wilhelmsen #4222), 820 Ortega Street, San Francisco, CA, 94122-4547 - James E. Galles (Internet), 1507 Ohio Street, Michigan City, IN, 46360 (WW1 Central Powers, all Iron
Crosses) - Dr. B.D. Patterson (Internet), PO Box 619, Hillsboro, TX, 76645 (U.S. medals & badges) - Donald C. Bekker (Secretary), 200 Waverly Apt 415, Morris, IL, 60450 (esp. Japan) -Frank G. Zunker (OMSA Online), PO Box 711, Eagle Point, OR, 97524 (U.S. medals, patches, & militaria) -D. Robin Barker (OMSA Online), 8 Oak Street, Cold Spring, NY, 10516(British & Russian orders/medals) - Mervin D. Hart (Brochure), 4666 South Landing Drive, Ft Myers, FL, 33919 (Worldwide medals & insignia; medals to U.S. soldiers; NASA & CIA medals)
-Richard L. Zpevak (Internet), 330 S. Harrison Street, Papillion, NE, 68046 (Military medals, ribbons, pins)
-Harold Darr, Jr. (Brochure), PO Box 51565, Phoenix, AZ, 85076 (WW2 medals; Civil War/GAR medals and reunion ribbons)
- David Winther (OMSA Online), 2046 Doe Drive, Oak Harbor, WA, 98277 (US military & world valor medals)
- Joel Best (OMSA Online), Dept. Sociology & Criminal Justice - University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716-2580
-Stephen Demmelmeier (OMSA Online), Dr. BergmeisterStrasse 75, Pfaffenhofen, Bayern 85276, Germany (US medals for USAAF & Airborne troops - WW2)
- David R. Schmidli (Internet), 729 Maple Street, Neenah, WI, 54956
Life Membership
LM# 80 -de Quesada, Alejandro M., M#5570; c/o ADEQ Historical Resources Inc. 5012 West Lemon St., Tampa, FL, 33609
Address Changes & Corrections
Botana, Richard S., #4288; 17 Denny Hill Road, Warner, NH, 03278-4505 Burns, Nell M., #6975; 401 West Ridge Mews, Wood-Ridge, NJ, 07075 Carman, William R., #6249; 6101 60th Court SE, Lacey, WA, 98513-6472 Cline, H. M. G., #5805; 49 High Ridge Drive, Clifton Springs, 3222 Victoria, Australia Cooke Jr., W. Paul, #2055; 9070 North Moonshine Hollow Apt. N, Laurel, MD, 20723-1636 Erickson, David L., #6690; 9205 321st Street Court East, Eatonville, WA, 98328 Gambro, Rev. John M., #5798; 1909 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60608 Garman, MSC, USNR, Lt. James, #7296:628 Torrance Street Unit G, San Diego, CA, 92103
42 JOMSA
Gonzalez III, Ramon E.; #7308; 119 W. Lachapelle, San Antonio, TX, 78204
Griesenbeck, W. Jo, #3611; 1335 River Avenue, Point Pleasant, NJ, 08742 Harader, Kurt Go, #5296; PO Box 1277, Napavine, WA, 98565-1277
Hubrich, Dirk, #7113; Schaenkenwig 13, D-01109 Dresden, Germany
Jackson, Richard W., #6978; NCISRA Quantico, Box1863, Quantico, VA, 22134-0863
Jensen, Michael, #6518; 3528 SE 115th Avenue, Portland, OR, 97266-1737
Johnson, Matthew S., #6903; PO Box 197536, Louisville, KY, 40259-7536
Justofiu, Christopher D., #6737; 1105 Valley of the Lakes, Hazelton, PA, 18202-9377
Maitri, Jay, #7276; 2820 Elm Street, Denver, CO, 80207-3061
McAdams, Elizabeth H., #6844; 329 Oakview Drive, Salisbury, NC, 28146-6304
McAdams, William R., #6780; 329 Oakview Drive, Salisbury, NC, 28146-6304
Muhlemann, Guido, #6995; Reigstrasse 4, CH-8200 Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Nelson, Mary Mo, #6820; 621 North Lincoln Street, Stockton, CA, 95203
Oglesby Jr., Paul L., #6608; 850 N. Randolph Apt 1425, Arlington, VA, 22203
Pamm, Anthony N., #3043; PO Box 32305, Camps Bay 8040, South Africa
Piersall, Mark A., #7219; 209 Crestview Court, Frederick, MD, 21702-4031
Playford, Christopher C., #7223; 5875 Doverwood Drive Unit 102, Culver City, CA, 90230-7211
Stilwell, Keith E., #5391; 7047 Old Madison Pike, Suite 320, Huntsville, AL, 35806
End of Report Douglas M. Peck, OMSA Secretary
THE ORDERS AND MEDALS SOCIETY OF AMERICA 54th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
AUGUST 12-15, 2004
RADISSON HOTEL SACRAMENTO 500 LEISURE LANE
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 95815-4207 Phone 916-922-2020 FAX 916-920-7310
Rates $99.00 standard, $119.00 lakeside or poolside
OMSA registration forms and additional information will be in the March-April issue of the Journal.
For additional information, please contact the Convention Chairman, Bob Reynolds at [email protected] or
OMSA 2004 P. O. Box 164
N. Highlands, CA 95660
Vol. 55, No. 1 43
