The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) was introduced in 1991 and is awarded for distinguished leadership in action.
The DSM is a nickel-silver medal with a Federation Star on a circle of flames on the obverse. The reverse has a panel for recipient detail over a design of fluted rays of varying lengths.
The DSM ribbon has alternating stripes of silver-blue and ochre-red.
A further award of the DSM is denoted by a nickel- silver 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 Federation Star on a nickel-silver disc.
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal are entitled to the postnominal letters ‘DSM’. Recipients of a bar to the DSM add ‘and Bar’ to the postnominal.
The source document for the DSM is:
CAG S25 of 4 February 1991 (Letters Patent and Regulations).
The nomination procedure is detailed in Defence Instruction (General) PERS 31-3 Australian Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards.
The DSM 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