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Medals are only for those who earned them

On looking around at the attendees of the Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11, I noticed several people who were wearing Canadian military medals pinned on the right side of their coats.

On looking around at the attendees of the Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11, I noticed several people who were wearing Canadian military medals pinned on the right side of their coats.

Serving personnel wear their medals or decorations over their hearts (the left side). I believe that many civilians think that they can legally wear the medals of their deceased family members, but that is not true. Medals awarded to serving personnel can only be worn by those individuals, not their family members.

Some Commonwealth nations, such as Australia, do allow this practice. In Canada, if one wants to “show” the medals of relatives, one should carry them in the appropriate manner (mounted in a framed case, perhaps).

I believe that information should be addressed now while it is fresh. Someone has only to go on the web and type in “wearing of Canadian service medals/ decorations” or something similar.

H.B. Stevenson, CD

Victoria