COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF of the Armed Forces, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday, presented several soldiers and officers with prestigious military medals during the Guyana Defence Force’ s (GDF)’s Medal Presentation Parade at Base Camp Ayanganna.

Ranks were bestowed with the Military Efficiency Medal (MEM) for 10 years of continuous, unblemished service and the Border Defence Medal (BDM) for service on the borders.

According to the GDF, a total of 35 officers and 46 other ranks met the criteria for the MEM, while seven officers and 67 other ranks met the criteria for the BDM. However, only a representative number were decorated with their medals by President Ali.

The President presented 16 ranks with the MEM and also decorated 10 ranks with the BDM.

In further explaining the significance of the medals, the GDF said the MEM is awarded to officers and ranks of the regular force who complete 10 years of continuous service without any disciplinary issues, while the BDM is awarded in two classes.

Class one is awarded to any member of the disciplinary services who is a member of a unit engaged in hostilities in defence of the territorial integrity of Guyana, and class two is awarded to any officer or rank deployed in areas within 100 kilometres of a hostile border on permanent duties for a total of 365 days with no disciplinary issues.