Captain Sandra Kati receiving medal from Maj Gen Per Lodin.
Captain Sandra Kati of Croatia was recognized for completing 21 months of service with UNMOGIP at the Medal Parade held on November 10 in Islamabad. She is entitled to affix the numeral 4 to her UNMOGIP ribbon.
Captain Kati first arrived at UNMOGIP in 2012 and completed her tour of duty in 2013. She rejoined the Mission on January 31, 2016. During her time here, she has served at all the UN field stations on both sides of the Line of Control and Working Boundary.
“I’m very proud to be here the second time and honoured to be recognized for my service,” she said after receiving the medal.
She said her work as a Military Observer was challenging but also rewarding. She was touched by the willingness to help and hospitality of the people she met in the field.
Before joining UNMOGIP, Captain Kati served as an engineering officer in the Croatian Army’s Engineering Regiment. Croatia has been sending Military Observers to UNMOGIP since 2002 and has progressively increased their number, which currently stands at nine. From December 2005 to December 2007 Major General Dragutin Repinc, a Croatian, served as the Chief Military Observer-Head of Mission of UNMOGIP.
Twice a year, UN Military Observers (UNMOs) gather at the Headquarters in Islamabad for a conference and a Medal Parade. In the second Medal Parade held on 10 November, the Chief Military Observer and Head of Mission Major General Per Lodin awarded medals to 35 UNMOs from nine countries. The first parade was held on 6 April.
UNMOs are eligible to receive a medal after three months of service with the Mission. The second time recipients can affix numeral 2 to the UNMOGIP ribbon. Since Captain Kati is serving the Mission for a second time, this was her fourth medal. The UNMOGIP ribbon bears a wide central band in various shades of green to represent the Himalayan Range and the Kashmir Valley, flanked by narrow white stripes representing the snowcapped mountains. Two equal bars of UN blue appear at either end of the ribbon.