The Star of Gallantry (SG) was introduced in 1991 and is awarded for acts of great heroism or conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of great peril.
The SG is a gold-plated Federation Star, with the obverse having a central device of a smaller Federation Star in a field of flames. The reverse has a central panel for recipient details on a stepped background. The suspension bar is inscribed on both obverse and reverse with “FOR GALLANTRY”.
The SG ribbon has a design of chevrons of deep orange alternating with chevrons of light orange. The ribbon is worn with the points facing upwards.
A further award of the SG is denoted by a gold-plated bar with the Federation Star on a horizontal row of flames. When the ribbon is worn alone, the award of a bar is indicated by a ribbon bar emblem in the form of a gold-plated Federation Star.
Recipients of the Star of Gallantry are entitled to the postnominal letters ‘SG’. Recipients of a bar to the SG add ‘and Bar’ to the post-nominal.
The source documents for the SG are:
CAG S25 of 4 February 1991 and CAG S420 of 6 November 1996 (Letters Patent and Regulations and amendments).
The nomination procedure is detailed in Defence Instruction (General) PERS 31-3 Australian Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards.
The SG is worn in the position notified by the Governor-General in The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards .
Web page last updated 13 December, 2011