Name/Title
2004 - Lieutenant-Colonel Pericles (Perry) Metaxas-Mariatos , MSM, CD (Canadian Meritorious Service Medal recipient one of only 800 in CAF) - CGG 1971-1977, PPCLI, Canadian Airborne Regiment, SKY HAWKS Team Captain, ISAF Veteran, UN SecurityScope and Content
*** ARCHIVES ONLY - NOT PART OF THE CGG MUSEUM COLLECTION ***
2004 - Lieutenant-Colonel Pericles (Perry) Metaxas-Mariatos , MSM, CD (Canadian Meritorious Service Medal recipient one of only 800 in CAF) - CGG 1971-1977, PPCLI, Canadian Airborne Regiment, SKY HAWKS Team Captain, ISAF Veteran, UN Security
Lieutenant-Colonel Pericles (Perry) Metaxas-Mariatos of Belleville, Ontario, was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) in the Military Division by the Governor General of Canada on August 27, 2004, and invested on November 26, 2004. The MSM recognizes a military deed or activity performed in a highly professional manner or of very high standard that brings benefit or honour to the Canadian Forces Canada.ca. His son, Alexander Metaxas-Mariatos served with the Royal Canadian Navy.
AWARD CITATION
Metaxas-Mariatos received the MSM for his role as Senior Liaison Officer at NATO Headquarters Skopje during Operation ALLIED HARMONY in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from January to July 2003. In this capacity, he demonstrated remarkable diplomatic skills in handling all issues of border management and security, contributing to greater stability in the region www.gg.ca.
Additional Recognition
In addition to the MSM, he was also awarded the Mention in Dispatches on May 13, 2005 for his outstanding performance as Deputy Chief Operations Officer in the Human Intelligence Division of Headquarters International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, Afghanistan. In this role, he ensured intelligence-driven operations at the tactical level, often placing himself in harm’s way, and his conduct under hazardous conditions brought great honour to the Canadian Forces and Canada www.gg.ca.
ABOUT THE CGG MEMBER
Lieutenant-Colonel Perry Metaxas, MSM, CD, began his military service in 1971 with the Canadian Grenadier Guards, serving as a divisional sergeant in 1976. He converted to the Permanent Force in 1978 and completed infantry officer training and received his Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry badging in 1979. His subsequent service included duty with 2 Commando, Canadian Airborne Regiment, at Petawawa in 1982, followed by a United Nations Truce Supervision Organization deployment to Beirut in 1984. That same year, he trained with the British Army’s 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, in Scotland and qualified in balloon parachuting.
An accomplished military parachutist, Metaxas served as captain of the Canadian Forces SkyHawks parachute demonstration team in 1988. By 1992, he was serving as a captain with 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, during a brigade commander’s inspection led by Brigadier-General Vernon. His later career increasingly focused on military intelligence. In 1998, he served in Bosnia with 22 Section of the Allied Military Intelligence Battalion, and in 1999 participated in the change-of-command parade of the 1st Canadian Division Intelligence Company at CFB Kingston.
While serving at NATO’s Joint Force Command headquarters in Brunssum, Netherlands, Metaxas received a French decoration from a visiting French delegation in 2001. In 2004, he deployed to Afghanistan with the International Security Assistance Force, where his duties included preparing for reconnaissance operations. Following his Canadian military career, he continued serving internationally and in 2016 worked in Mogadishu, Somalia, as a United Nations Senior Security Adviser. His career encompassed infantry leadership, airborne operations, military intelligence, NATO service, United Nations peace operations and international security advising.
About the Meritorious Service Medal
The MSM is a circular silver medal with a maple leaf on the reverse, worn on the left breast after the Medal of Bravery and before the Royal Victorian Medal. A bar is awarded for further qualifying activities. Recipients are entitled to use the postnominal MSM
Lieutenant-Colonel Perry Metaxas-Mariatos’ MSM reflects his exceptional service in NATO and ISAF operations, where his leadership, diplomacy, and professionalism significantly advanced security and stability in the Balkans and Afghanistan.Created By
Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.Create Date
July 14, 2026Updated By
Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.Update Date
July 25, 2026
