Civilian must have deployed outside of Canada and worked with the CF to provide full-time direct support to operations in the presence of an armed enemy.

The General Service Medal with Allied Force ribbon is awarded to personnel who served at least 30 days cumulative service in direct support of Operation Allied Force in Aviano or Vicenza, Italy, or in Skopje, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from 24 March to 10 June 1999.

The first eligible period of service was from 24 April 2003 to 31 July 2009 for direct support of Canadian participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

The next period of service from 1 August 2009 to a date yet to be determined for 30 cumulative days of direct support, provided outside the theatre of operations.

[4] Canadian citizens who are not members of the military are eligible for the GSM South-West Asia for completing the same amount of service, during the same time frames, and in the same areas, but must have been deployed inside the theatre of operations.

The reverse bears a depiction of two crossed swords, an anchor, and an eagle in flight superimposed over each other, the whole surmounted by the Royal Crown and surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves.

[3] The ribbons of the General Service Medals are 32 millimetres (1.3 in) wide and the colors vary, depending on the mission.

[3][4][7] When the undress ribbon is worn, a maple leaf is attached to indicate the award of a rotation bar.