Petition telic medal

This petition is to encourage a re-think of the issue criteria for the OP telic 1 medal in 2003. As it stands the medal is awarded to personnel deployed to zone 1 and 2 taking no account of the regular and reserve forces personnel who were mobilised and deployed to zone 3.
Historically medals have been awarded to personnel deployed on an operation. The first gulf war medal for instance was awarded to personnel in Cyprus and even Germany, the South Atlantic medal in 1982 to those serving in Ascension Island. The decision to exclude zone 3 personnel from eligibility, at odds with the spirit of previous campaign medal issues, was arbitrary and indicative of the spirit of lack of backing for the armed forces or recognition of their service and commitment. It is hoped that the current administration will review this ruling and recognise the commitment of the personnel who served wherever they were directed to serve but received no recognition.