This Medal can claim to be the first truly distinctive Australian medal. The Medal was created by King George VI in 1949 and counter signed by Prime Minister Ben Chifley to recognise World War II service by members of Australia's armed forces and the Volunteer Defence Corps.

This Medal was in addition to a range of British medals and campaign stars that could be earned by Australians for service in World War II. The qualifying service criteria for the Medal - 18 months for full-time service or 3 years for part-time service - was amended in 1996 to 30 days and 90 days respectively.

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

This Medal was established in 1994 and since then over 8500 Medals have been issued. It recognises the service of civilians who served in Australia during World War II in organisations that were subject to military-like arrangements and conditions of service, in arduous circumstances, in support of the war effort.

The Medal is made of bronze and portrays the Southern Cross symbolising Australia, surrounded by Golden Wattle, which represents the civil population combining in defence of Australia. The ribbon consists of three broad vertical bands of equal width and two white stripes. The ochre colour represents the soil of Australia and green represents the land and food production; and the white stripes represent communications and construction.

The regulations governing the award of the Medal provide the conditions of service that need to be met to be eligible for the Medal. Members of a number of World War II organisations may qualify for the award of the Medal.

Link to eligible groups guide

Contact: Awards and National Symbols
telephone: 02 6271 5611

Prime Minister John Howard announced the establishment of this active service medal in December 1997 to recognise the service of veterans who served in the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Indonesian Confrontation and the Vietnam War.

The establishment of this new medal followed on from the government's 1996 election commitment to the veterans' community to create a distinctly Australian award to recognise warlike service between 1945 and 1975.

Those veterans who received, or have an entitlement to the Korean Medal, a General Service Medal for service in the Malayan Emergency 1948-60 or the Indonesian Confrontation 1962-66, are eligible for this Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975.

When the Prime Minister announced The Queen's formal approval of this Medal, he also indicated that the Medal would be extended to those personnel who have received the Vietnam Medal and for some categories who have received the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal.

This Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975 is placed at the same level as other war medals and the Australian Active Service Medal in the order of wearing medals. It is worn immediately after World War II medals but before the Korean War Medal, the General Service Medals, the Vietnam Medal and the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal.

The Medal has the following clasps:

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

The Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 was established in 1995 to recognise a large number of Australian service personnel who did not receive any award for their non-warlike operational service in the period 1945-1975. The creation of this award was one of the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry into Defence Awards that reported to government in 1994.

The award's aim is to recognise service in prescribed peacekeeping or non-warlike operations during the period 1945-1975 where recognition had not been extended previously through an award.

The Medal's design features the Commonwealth Coat of Arms on the obverse and is ensigned with the Crown of Saint Edward. The reverse of the Medal features the Federation Star overlaid with a plinth on which the wearer's name is engraved. The obverse and reverse are decorated with clusters of mimosa blossoms symbolising the presence of Australian service personnel in overseas peacekeeping and other non-warlike operations. The ribbon has bands of dark and light blue, khaki, green and gold.

The Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 is placed on the same level as the Australian Service Medal in the Australian Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards.

The Governor-General has approved a number of clasps for the Medal including the following:

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

This Medal can claim to be the second award, following the Australia Service Medal 1939-1945, created in the Australian system of honours and awards. The Medal was approved in 1968 by The Queen and counter signed by Prime Minister Sir John Gorton.

The Medal was created to recognise the service of members of Australian Armed Forces and accredited members of approved philanthropic organisations serving with our service personnel in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Service is recognised between the dates 29 May 1964 and 27 January 1973.

Qualifying service includes:

• 28 days in ships or craft on inland waters or off the coast of Vietnam.
• One day or more on the posted strength of a unit or formation on land.
• One operational sortie over Vietnam or Vietnamese water by aircrew on the posted strength of a unit.
• Official visits either continuous or aggregate of 30 days.

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

This Medal was created in 1992 to recognise the service of Australian personnel who served in support roles during the Vietnam War. When this Medal was put in place, it provided recognition to those Australian men and women who played a vital role in supporting the Vietnam campaign in difficult or potentially dangerous situations, but who did not qualify for the Vietnam Medal. It provided recognition in particular to personnel who served in naval ships providing logistic support to our troops in Vietnam.

The Medal was put in place following the persistence of a number of veterans' groups including from the HMAS Sydney and Vietnam Logistic Support Veterans' Association. The Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal is the same shape and size as the existing Vietnam Medal but with a distinctly different ribbon.

The qualifying criteria for the Medal is:

• Service of one day or more as a member or crew of a ship or aircraft operating in the prescribed area of operations of Vietnam in support of Australian forces.
  
• Service of one day or more within the prescribed area of operations of Vietnam while attached to a unit or organisation in support of Australian forces.

Who to contact:

• ADF personnel – the relevant medal section of the Dept of Defence
• Civilian Surgical and Medical Teams – Tel 02 6271 5609
• Qantas Aircrew – Qantas Cabin Crew Department
• Embassy Couriers - Protocol Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Entertainers and War Correspondents – Department of Defence

This Medal was created in 1988 to recognise prescribed service in warlike operations. The Medal is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation and subsequent awards of the Medal to the same person are made in the form of a further clasp to the Medal. The Governor-General makes awards of the Medal and clasps on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Force.

The Medal obverse features the Commonwealth Star enclosed by a wattle wreath symbolising the Australian nature of the award. The reverse shows a stylised laurel wreath around the inscription For Active Service. The colours of the ribbon are primarily variations of the Australian colours of green and gold with a central red stripe, which signifies active service, that is, the dangers faced in warlike situations.

The Governor-General has approved the following clasps as qualifying for the award of the Medal: 'Balkans', 'Cambodia', 'East Timor', ICAT, 'Kuwait', Namibia, 'Somalia' and 'Vietnam 1975'.

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

Prime Minister John Howard announced on 7 March 2000 the establishment of a specific campaign medal for members of the Australian Defence Force in East Timor. Personnel who served in the East Timor operation area during the INTERFET operation for 30 days or more will qualify for this campaign medal. Australia led the INTERFET coalition of 17 nations.

Australia has invited other nations, which contributed personnel to INTERFET, to use the International Force East Timor Medal as a means of recognising their forces. This is the first time an Australian medal has been used in this way.

In addition to this Medal, the Australian Active Service Medal clasp "East Timor" will also be awarded to members of the ADF who participated in the INTERFET operational area of East Timor.

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

This Medal was created in 1988 to recognise military and other service in prescribed peacekeeping but non-warlike operations. The Medal is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation and subsequent awards of the Medal to the same person are made in the form of a further clasp to the Medal. The Governor-General makes awards of the Medal and clasps on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Force.

The Medal obverse features the Commonwealth Coat of Arms surmounted by the ADF Joint Service emblem superimposed on meridians of longitude. The reverse features the Commonwealth Star overlaid with a plinth for the recipient's name. The colours of the ribbon are drawn from the Australian bush, for example, saltbush of the arid centre and a central brown strip signifying the earth of Australia.

The Governor-General has approved the following clasps as qualifying for the award of the Medal: Balkans, Bougainville, Cambodia, East Timor, Ethiopia/Eritrea, Guatemala, Gulf, Irian Jaya, Iran/Iraq, Iraq, Kashmir, Korea, Kuwait, Middle East, Mozambique, Peshawar, Rwanda, S E Asia, Sinai, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Special Ops, Uganda and West Sahara.

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

This Medal was awarded to people in the armed services, the police and to civilians of the small multi-national force on Operation Agila. The role of the multi-national force was to keep peace between 22000 guerrillas and the Rhodesian forces during the cease-fire run-up to the 1980 elections. The Medal was initiated by the British government in consultation with the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kenya whose forces took part. Each government treats the Medal as part of its own honours system.

The Medal is issued for service during the period 1 December 1979 and 20 March 1980. Fourteen days' service in Rhodesia is the basic qualification period for the Medal. Approximately 2500 medals were issued and recipients of the Medal also received the Zimbabwe Independence Medal.

The obverse of the Medal features the crowned effigy of The Queen and the reverse depicts a sable antelope surrounded by the inscription "THE RHODESIA MEDAL 1980". The ribbon is sky-blue with three central stripes of red, white and blue.

Applications for this Medal can be obtained from the relevant service medals sections in the Department of Defence, Canberra.

This Medal was established in 1991 to recognise service with international peacekeeping organisations by officers of Australian police forces. The Governor-General makes awards of the Medal on the recommendation of the Chief Officer of an Australian police force.

The award of the Medal is made with a clasp to denote the area of prescribed service and any subsequent award to the same person is made in the form of a further clasp with the prescribed service appropriately inscribed.

The following clasps have been declared:
Bougainville, Cambodia, Cyprus, East Timor, Haiti, Mozambique, Solomon Islands, Somalia.

This Medal was established in 1999 to honour members of recognised Australian groups that render humanitarian service overseas in hazardous circumstances. Circumstances envisaged include service in war zones, during peacekeeping operations or in times of natural disaster or civil strife. Australian groups may be part of, or operating under, the direction of the United Nations, other international organisations or Australian or international non-government organisations.

The Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal in placed just below the Police Overseas Service Medal in The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards.
Balarinji of Sydney designed the Medal.

The central symbol of the Medal is the Australian eucalyptus tree, spreading its branches out from the Australian land at the base of the Medal, to the world. The world is symbolised by the circle, which encloses the tree. Surrounding the circle of the world is a ring of gum nuts, symbolising life after disaster - the regeneration of eucalyptus seeds following bush fire ensures survival of the Australian bush. Just as humanitarian service assists recovery and restores celebration of life.

The colours of the ribbon are metallic gold and eucalyptus green. Gold symbolises the Australian sun, optimism and hope. Eucalyptus green continues the regeneration allegory of the medal design.

To date, the following clasps have been declared: the Balkans, Cambodia, East Timor, Great Lakes (Africa), Mozambique, Northern Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan and South Vietnam.

The qualifying period of relevant service is 30 days in any operation..

Contact: Awards and National Symbols
telephone: 02 6271 5613

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