Tim Hortons ("Always fresh/Toujours frais") is a Canadian institution: This coffee-and-doughnuts chain occupies a cultural space that's up there with Molson, poutine or The Kids in the Hall. And now employees of Tim Hortons may be eligible for war medals, courtesy of an overhaul of the rules for Canadian civilians who work in war zones.

According to CanWest news service, Canada's Department of National Defence has clarified the rules for how it recognizes overseas service. The changes, the news service states, "will include the controversial decision to allow Tim Hortons employees at Kandahar Airfield to receive medals from the Afghan war."

Tim Hortons occupies a coveted corner location on the boardwalk at KAF (milspeak for "Kandahar Airfield"), pictured here. The boardwalk is a small welfare-and-recreation area that includes a hockey rink, plus a Pizza Hut, Burger King and a few Afghan souvenir shops.

In an effort to cut down on "nonessentials" in the war zone and reinforce focus on the mission, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, recently ordered the closure of several base concessions, including Burger King, Orange Julius and Dairy Queen. In an official blog post, Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Hall said the fast-food cutbacks were all about reinforcing focus on the mission. "Supplying nonessential luxuries to big bases like Bagram and Kandahar makes it harder to get essential items to combat outposts and forward operating bases, where troops who are in the fight each day need resupplied with ammunition, food and water," he said.

But Tim Hortons will be spared, apparently. CanWest recently quoted a Defence Department spokeswoman, who said: “There are no plans to close the Tim Hortons.”

And don't worry, caffeine addicts: Green Beans Coffee will remain at bases across Afghanistan.

[PHOTO: CFPSA.com]