Photo: James West/ The Daily Gleaner

FREDERICTON - When Gary Campbell was asked by the RCMP to help them return three stolen war medals recovered in a raid on a crack house, his first reaction was the chances of success were slim.

"If you were going to gamble with those odds, you wouldn't want to put down very much money," the New Maryland man said Thursday.

Campbell is the medals adviser to the Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion.

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Changes to the design of the Canadian Forces (CF) Service Pin

The CF Service Pin has been awarded to eligible personnel at the time of their release since its introduction on 19 August 1985. The CF Service Pin provides a means by which former members of the CF may be identified, and by which they are encouraged to continue their observance of the CF military ethos in civilian life...more.

• REQUEST FOR SERVICE PIN—Application form for retired members of the Canadian Forces for Certificate of Service and CF Service Pin.

Military medals and awards are not topics that normally come to mind when considering help that service officers of The Royal Canadian Legion can provide to those who have served their country in the Armed Forces. However, recently Dominion Command has appointed a Medals Adviser. Major (Retired) W.E. (Gary) Campbell, a former member of the Canadian Army (Militia), Canadian Army (Regular) and the Canadian Armed Forces *, is assisting those who have had problems replacing lost or stolen medals or obtaining ones for which there was entitlement but which were never issued.

• INITIAL ISSUE—Application form for retired members of the Canadian Forces or their next of kin to apply for the initial issue only of medals
• REPLACEMENT—Application form for retired members of the Canadian Forces or their next of kin to apply for replacement medals

If you have tried to obtain replacements or entitlement and have run up against a stumbling block, you may wish to send a letter through your branch or provincial command service officer to Dominion Command to the attention of the Medals Adviser.

Major changes regarding recognition for military service by Canadian Forces in South-West Asia, Iraq and for Op Allied Force have been announced. View details.

Memorial (Silver) Cross Medal
The Cross is now issued to up to three people as disignated by the person who lost his or her life. View Department of National Defence message.

* Major (Retired) W.E. (Gary) Campbell

W.E. (Gary) Campbell served for over forty-two years in the Canadian Army (Militia), Canadian Army (Regular) and the Canadian Armed Forces prior to his retirement in 2005.  He also spent five years as a member of #11 Strathroy District Collegiate Institute Army Cadet Corps while attending high school.  His last posting was at the Headquarters, Combat Training Centre at Camp Gagetown, NB.  As a transportation officer in the Logistics Branch, he served in a variety of line and staff positions in navy, army, air force and headquarters units across Canada, and in the United States and the United Kingdom.  He has a Bachelor of Arts (History) from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Arts (War Studies) from the Royal Military College of Canada.  He is currently a PhD candidate in history at the University of New Brunswick where is he also employed as a stipend instructor.

He has a passion for military history, with a logistics flavour, and has written several articles for various journals on this subject.  His first book was The Road to Canada: The Grand Communications Route from Saint John to Quebec, which was published by the New Brunswick Military Heritage Project and Goose Lane Publications in 2005.  He is a member of the Orders and Medals Research Society, the Military Collectors Club of Canada, the Maritime Military Collectors Club and Branch #36 (New Brunswick Command) of the Royal Canadian Legion.  He is currently expanding his interest in genealogy as he researches his Planter and Loyalist ancestors.

He and his wife Carolyn Jamer, a former military nurse, have been married for over thirty-five years.  They have two daughters, one is a Chartered Accountant and the other is an Air Force officer with a Master’s degree in aerospace engineering.  Their oldest daughter, Heather, is married to Hugh Campbell while their youngest, Maggie, is engaged to be married to Alan Jacula.  Carolyn and Gary thoroughly enjoy entertaining their granddaughter, Calleigh!