OPERATION OSIER – NATO Interim Force ( IFOR) &

NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR)  in BOSNIA

OPERATIONS OSIER, AGRICOLA

Australia:  14 Jan 1992 – 24 Jan 1997 & 25 Jan 1997 – Present (OP OSIER).

 Strength:  14 Army Officers and Australian Attached personnel to UK/US forces.

Total: Estimated to be 114.

 UNPROFOR handed over the area of operations to the Commander of the NATO Interim Force (IFOR), in Dec 1994.  Following 12 months of IFOR, the NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR) took over operations within the Balkans.  SFOR is currently operating in the Former Yugoslavian Republic (FYR).

            IFOR moved into the FYR and separated three warring factions that had been fighting for four years. The IFOR mandate ended on December 20, 1996, achieving such great success that SFOR was phased into the stabilisation phase of the operation.  During both IFOR and SFOR’s existence,

 The Ministry of Defence (UK), requested staff officer assistance from the Australian Government in 1994, due to other taskings of the British forces elsewhere around the world.  Australia agreed to provide 4 Staff Officers to the SFOR mission.  The duties of the Staff Officers range from monitoring cease-fires and inspection of incidents, to reporting of current situations within their designated AO.

Australian service personnel were on attachment with British and US forces and subsequently deployed with their posted units to the Balkans.  Most personnel are armed with personal weapons.

 Awards: AASM (75-)(14 Jan 1992 – 24 January 1997) & ASM (75-) (25 January 1997 onward), Clasp “BALKANS”, NATO Campaign medal Clasp “YUGOSLAVIA”.

 VEA:       Schedule 2 14 Jan 1992 – 27 Jan 1997.  Schedule 3 (OP OSIER 25 January 1997 - onward)

	AASM 1975 - present	ASM 1975 - present	NATO Medal

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