More eligible for medal

Volume 49, No. 6, April 20, 2006


Since Federation, the actions of Australian servicemen and women have been permanently reflected in history - on the battlefield and in support of operations in Australia and overseas.

Many Australians have been distinguished in battle with campaign and service medals and gallantry awards over the last century. However, the performance of those personnel engaged in Australia in support of larger operations or individually contributing to the security of the nation has often gone unrecognised.

Some tasks undertaken by ADF personnel remain invisible to the community at large and due to their very nature, cannot be recognised by an operational service award. A new medal will go a long way to recognise this shortfall.
On March 30, 2006, the Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, the Hon Bruce Billson MP, announced that Her Majesty the Queen had approved official regulations and design for the award of the Australian Defence Medal (ADM).

The ADM has been established to recognise current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) Regular and Reserve personnel, volunteer or national servicemen who have demonstrated their commitment and contribution to the nation by serving for an initial enlistment period or four years service, whichever is the lesser.
“It will be awarded for contiguous Regular and Reserve service or a mix of both,” said the Director of Honours and Awards, Ms Irene Wilson, “and will be backdated to September 3, 1945, to allow relatives of ADF members who have since died to make a posthumous claim for the award.”

Announcing the award, Mr Billson said the Government decided to broaden eligibility criteria after extensive consultation with veterans’ organisations and the wider community.
“The criteria also recognise national servicemen and those who could not serve the four-year qualifying period because of the ADF’s workplace policies of the time,” he said.

The ADM will be awarded to those who die in service or are medically discharged due to permanent injury and therefore unable to serve the minimum qualifying period.

Others in this category, Ms Wilson added, include in particular ex-servicewomen who up until 1969 had to retire from military service if they married, and ex-servicewomen who, until 1974, had to retire if they became pregnant.
Current serving full-time ADF personnel will be assessed automatically in line with the new process for assessing long service awards through PMKeyS and therefore do not need to apply.

“The Directorate expects to record ADM entitlements for current serving permanent members on PMKeyS by the end of June 2006. If, after this time, you are in doubt about whether the system has automatically recorded your entitlement, please contact us via e-mail at DPE.Honoursandawards@defence.gov.au.” said Ms Wilson.

“All Reservists will need to apply for the medal. However, those who currently hold a long service award will be assessed as eligible without delay. If you do not have a long service award, you should supply documentation such as a letter from your CO certifying you have completed four years efficient service, a certificate of service or a discharge certificate.

“If you are unable to provide any documentation, then assessment will involve verification of service through PMKeyS, Defence Pay and Service records areas.”

The Directorate is expecting that over one million people will have entitlement to the medal. Approximately 12 000 applications have been received by DHA to date, with issue of the medal expected to commence in mid-2006.

Application Forms for all Reserve members, former serving members of the ADF and relatives seeking posthumous recognition are now available through the Defence Directorate of Honours and Awards website at:
www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dpe_site/honours_awards or by telephoning the Directorate, toll-free, on 1800 111 321.

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