Meritorious Service Decorations - Military Division
Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded on: 2006-10-18
Invested on: 2007-10-12
From May 2005 to February 2006, Major Zilkalns was the Operations Officer of the provincial reconstruction team deployed to Kandahar in support of Operation ARCHER. In Canada’s first deployment of a provincial reconstruction team, he was an exceptional planner and coordinator as well as a tireless leader. His outstanding professionalism, demonstrated in a dangerous and hostile environment, brought great credit to the Canadian Forces and to Canada.