Meritorious Service Decorations - Military Division
Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded on: 2009-11-19
Invested on: 2010-06-04
Colonel Coates was the first commander of the Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing, from November 2008 to April 2009. Under pressure to get the newly formed air wing operational as soon as possible, he overcame numerous logistical challenges to ensure the rapid introduction of critical aviation capabilities to Afghanistan. Colonel Coates’ extraordinary efforts have augmented Canadian operational capability, enhancing the security and mobility of ground forces across the theatre of operations