Several months ago, in early 2022, we received an image from a Royal Canadian Navy Captain’s retirement ceremony being held in the United States in 2020.
The sender had a number of concerns with the military narrative and the medals/insignia that “Captain(N)” Marianne Knai was wearing and asked for our assistance in clarifying the situation.
We were advised that she moved to the US in 2017 while claiming to still be in the CAF and seconded to the US for assistance with human trafficking issues until her retirement in 2020.
Now, the medals…
The first medal in the group is the Medal of Military Valour, of which 90 have been awarded since its inception in 2001. All recipients are known, less 5 individuals who are not publicly named due to operational security issues.
There’s the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in the mix, she’s not listed as an awardee.
The last medal in the group is the Ebola Medal for Service in West Africa, all Canadian Forces recipients are known / documented, she’s not one of them…
As to her claims of being wounded in action in Afghanistan, that could have resulted in the award of the Sacrifice Medal, she’s not wearing it.
She’s also wearing the the dolphins awarded to Navy Clearance Divers (CD). The RCN divers specialize in mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, battle damage repair and hydrographic reconnaissance. All CDs are known and while there are women who have serve in that occupation, Knai was never one of them.
There are no Navy Captain / Colonel (O6) Social Work Officers in the CF however, she’s wearing the distinctive maroon stripes on her shoulder boards bearing the rank insignia of a Navy Captain. The SOCW occupation is capped at the Commander / Lt Colonel (O5) level and that individual is the clinical practice leader based in Ottawa.
After a deeper dive
What we do know, Knai was a navy reservist for approximately two years (2010-2012) as a Maritime Surface Officer. She then transferred to the regular force as a Social Work Officer (2012-2017) serving in CFB Esquimalt until she took her release and relocated to the US in 2017.
She had one short deployment to Kuwait in 2015. The service in Kuwait could have entitled her to the General Service Medal – EXPEDITION however, that medal is not included in the pictured group.
Her 7 years of service both Reserve/Regular precludes her from wearing the Canadian Forces Decoration (CD), which is the long service and good conduct medal awarded to all ranks of the CAF after 12 years of service.
We can find no record of her being a qualified parachutist.
Medal of Military Valour
Ebola Medal – Pages 120/121
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal
https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients?f%5B0%5D=honour_type_id%3A%22126%22
The mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, Corporal Cruachan is permitted to wear the medals that the Regiment has earned, so this wee fella wears (L to R) The Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan, The Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal (EUFOR Althea), The UN UNFICYP (Cyprus) medal, The Ebola Medal for service in West Africa, the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal and is a recent recipient of the Queens Platinum Jubilee Medal.
This Shetland Pony has a legitimate entitlement to the Ebola Medal unlike Marianne Knai the social worker phoney!