This section has breaking news on honours and awards issues.
Amongst the devastation caused by the recent natural disasters including the Queensland and Victorian floods, Cyclone Yasi and the Perth bushfires, items of great personal value such as service medals can be lost, damaged or stolen.
The Australian Government recognises the importance that these awards represent to the members who earned them and the families who treasure them.
On 10 February 2011, the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator the Hon David Feeney, announced that the Government will relax the policy on the replacement of posthumous medals to enable those lost during these recent disasters, to be replaced.
If your Service medals or those of a deceased relative were lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair as a direct result of these disasters, you may apply to the Directorate of Honours and Awards for a replacement.
If your application concerns the posthumous replacement of medals, please complete the AD809-1 Application for the Replacement of Posthumous Service Awards due to Natural Disasters. Current serving members are advised to complete application form AD808 Application for the Issue of Replacement Medals and/or Clasps to enable their own medals to be replaced.
Applicants should be aware that Defence is only able to replace medals dating back to World War I. Medals for conflicts prior to this war are no longer in production. Further, Defence is only able to replace original medals. Replica medals purchased on a commercial basis cannot be replaced.
The Directorate of Honours and Awards (DH&A) has recently received notification that the Governor-General has given approval for approximately 4200 ADF members to wear the Timor-Leste Solidarity Medal.
PMKeyS records are currently being updated to reflect the award and lists are also being prepared to enable the medal to be sent to units for presentation to those who did not receive the medal in country. For members who were issued the medal in country you can now have the medal officially mounted for wear – you will need to provide a copy of your awards summary from either PMKeyS or PSS.
Our website will be updated once the dispatch process is finalised. We understand that this has been a long process and appreciate your patience as we work to have this finalised as quickly as possible.
For members who have recently returned from service in East Timor, we are still awaiting a number of lists to be approved. This process cannot be finalised while caretaker conventions are still in place. Please refer to DEFGRAM 478/10 for further information about the impact of the caretaker period on foreign award approvals.
We have identified a number of members who are now discharged or in the process of discharging. If you have been advised that you are eligible or have service in East Timor from May 2006 onwards please contact our Customer Response Team on 1800 111 321 to ensure your correct postal details are held by DH&A.
Members who have been identified as not eligible by the East Timor Government will receive correspondence from DH&A advising the outcome.
Members of the Australian contingent who went to Paris in 1968 for the 50th anniversary of the World War 1 Armistice, and who had served in Vietnam were issued their medals unengraved because there was no time before their departure. A letter to the contingent commander at the time advised that recipients could return their medals for inscription on return to Australia. It has recently come to DH&A notice that some members may not have done this. Any members of this contingent who now wish to have their medals engraved can return them to DH&A for engraving. It is known that 43 Army and 8 NZ Army members were issued unengraved medals and it is probable that RAN and RAAF members may have also been issued. Enquiries may be made to the DH&A toll-free number 1800 111 321.
There has been much confusion relating to the order in which foreign awards may be worn by Australian Defence Force personnel.
The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards issued by Government House directs that foreign awards are worn immediately after all Australian honours or awards, in the order of date of approval to wear. A post-nominal is not used, eg. ‘MBE’ for Member of the British Empire.
The only exceptions to this are:
It is acknowledged that a number of medal ribbon posters have been produced by various commercial entities. These have been produced as a visual reference guide for medal ribbons and should not be used as an authority on the order of wearing foreign awards.
113 members of the Australian Defence Organisation were recognised in the Australia Day Honours List in 2012
For a list of the Defence recipients click here.
Some recipients have not been listed for security reasons.
Members listed in the Order of Australia (General Division) or for being awarded the Public Service Medal have been recognised for reasons other than military service.
On 29 November 2009, the Governor-General signed a new Instrument of determination for the INTERFET Medal.
Prior to the cessation of INTERFET, the United Nations-led Operation TANAGER commenced in East Timor, thus creating a 50 day overlap of operations in the same area. Australian Defence Force personnel deployed on Operation TANAGER who met the qualifying conditions are eligible for the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor Medal (UNTAET Medal), not the INTERFET Medal.
The new determination clarifies the operational overlap in relation to medallic entitlement to the INTERFET Medal.
On 29 October 2009, the Governor-General signed new Instruments of determination for the AASM with Clasp ‘KUWAIT’ and ASM with Clasp ‘KUWAIT’.
A recent review by the Nature of Service Branch determined that service on Operation DAMASK VI during the period 13 January 1993 to 19 January 1993 was inappropriately classified. In June 2009 the Prime Minister, following a recommendation by the CDF, agreed that the Operation DAMASK VI operational area be added to Schedule 2 of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA).
The determinations for the AASM with Clasp ‘KUWAIT’ and ASM with Clasp ‘KUWAIT’ have been updated to reflect appropriate recognition for the ship’s company of HMAS CANBERRA engaged on Operation DAMASK VI in January 1993.
The Instruments amend the AASM with Clasp ‘KUWAIT’ by adding a specific provision for service on Operation DAMASK VI, and amend the ASM with Clasp ‘KUWAIT’ by adding an exclusionary clause preventing members being awarded both medals for the same deployment.
In accordance with established policy, eligible personnel who have been awarded the ASM with Clasp ‘KUWAIT’ for Operation DAMASK VI will not be issued with the AASM until they physically return the previously awarded ASM; the exception being in cases where other clasps to the ASM are held, or where the Clasp ‘KUWAIT’ has been awarded for a separate deployment.
On 12 November 2009, The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, Dr Mike Kelly, signed a determination which entitles approved philanthropic organisations serving with the ADF on Operation ANODE to the ASM with Clasp ‘SOLOMON IS II’.
In an effort to resolve some recently identified medal dispatch issues, a new Form (807-2) has been introduced specifically for serving Reservists. On the new Form, members in this category may now indicate whether they want the medal or clasp sent to their specified contact address, or to a particular unit for subsequent presentation. If a member selects the unit option, the respective CO/OC must acknowledge the member’s request. The new Form may be accessed through the Applications Forms page on this website.
The Directorate has received advice from the Australian Defence Staff-Dili indicating that, due to the number of persons currently being considered by the East Timor Government for the award of the Timor-Leste Solidarity Medal, a time frame for completion of their assessments can not be given.
It should be noted that East Timor is still establishing their Honours and Awards system, which involves detailed and lengthy consideration of the processes and procedures necessary to ensure the integrity of their System.
DH&A understands that since the announcement of the medal and release of the subsequent DEFGRAM, there has been some confusion; however, we must act on advice and information provided to us and would appreciate your continued patience as we work with the Australian Defence Staff-Dili and the East Timor Government on this issue. Click here for the full eligibility criteria for the Timor Leste Solidarity Medal.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, the Hon. Dr Mike Kelly AM MP, has today announced that the Replacement medals policy will be relaxed. Those family members who have lost the medals of loved ones in the Victorian bushfire and the Queensland floods can now apply to have them replaced. Application forms can be obtained on our website or by calling our toll-free Customer Response Team on 1800 111 321
Replacement Medal Policy to be Relaxed
Web page last updated 30 January, 2012