15.1 | Civilian personnel

816.  The IRSM was introduced in January 2007.519 It was decommissioned in 2013.520

817.  The FCO told the Inquiry that “around 4,100” medals were awarded.521

818.  A small number of recipients criticised the administration of the medal.

819.  In June 2008, Sir Peter Ricketts received an email from a recipient of the IRSM,

who believed that the medal’s value as a good way of honouring those who served in

Iraq had been “somewhat diminished by the manner in which it is administered”.522

The individual recognised that work was in hand in the FCO to improve administration

of the medal, but criticised the fact that individuals had to fill out an application form,

received the medal in a Jiffy bag, and that there was no presentation ceremony.

820.  Sir Peter commented to the IOU: “I don’t want any medals sent in Jiffy bags unless

staff specifically ask for that.” 523

821.  In his reply to the original email, Sir Peter explained that the application form

provided the FCO with important documentation for auditing purposes.524 Presentation

of the medal was complicated by the need to balance the wishes of those who wanted

to receive theirs quickly, without great ceremony, and those preferring to wait for a more

formal ceremony, at post or in London. Dr Howells and Sir Peter had hosted a reception

for London‑based recipients of the first batch of medals in 2007. A second reception

was planned for later in 2008.

822.  There were some critical comments about the medal from participants at the

Inquiry’s civilian outreach event, including that it had been sent in a rolled up brown

envelope, addressed to “Dear Colleague” and not even signed by the Permanent

Secretary. One participant had refused to accept a medal on the grounds that the

qualification was simply to have been in Iraq for a minimum period.

Locally engaged staff

823.  UK government departments and the UK military employed Iraqi citizens in various

capacities from 2003 onwards, including as supervisors of reconstruction projects,

interpreters and office staff.

824.  As security deteriorated and the mobility of UK personnel became increasingly

constrained, locally engaged (LE) staff and contractors became critically important to the

UK reconstruction effort.

519  Foreign & Commonwealth Office, The Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal, January 2007, Cm 7000.

520  Foreign & Commonwealth Office [from GOV.UK], 1 July 2013, Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal to be

decommissioned.

521  Email FCO to Iraq Inquiry, 15 March 2016, ‘Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal’.

522  Email FCO [junior official] to Ricketts, 4 June 2008, ‘Iraq Reconstruction Medal’.

523  Email FCO [junior official] to FCO [junior official], 13 June 2008, ‘Iraq Reconstruction Medal’.

524  Email FCO [junior official] to FCO [junior official], 17 June 2008, ‘Iraq Reconstruction Medal’.

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