Meritorious Service Decorations - Military Division
Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded on: 2020-08-14
Invested on: 2021-11-04
From October 2018 to November 2019, Major Benson was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq as military assistant to the commander. Part of the inaugural rotation of NATO Mission Iraq, he quickly developed an impressive understanding of wide-ranging issues and environmental dynamics, which permitted him to contribute extensively to key mission activities. His relationship-building in support of NATO Mission Iraq and his exceptional management of sensitive diplomatic files were particularly noteworthy. Major Benson’s consistent and unequivocal efforts during his deployment brought great credit to Canada.