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Like many, I have watched with interest the implementation of the Australian Defence Medal (ADM) and its issue to past and present members. While I personally would have preferred it to remain at a qualification period of six years service as originally intended, I do recognise the reasons behind reducing the qualification period to four years. The recognition it provides of voluntary service in the ADF is particularly important, more so than the actual period of service required to qualify, in my opinion. However, the issue of the ADM brings to my mind a related matter. Given that we now effectively recognise four years voluntary service and 15 years long service with respective medals, I am thinking that it would be worthwhile exploring the idea of awarding a specific medal for 25 years service. I know that each five years of service after 15 years is currently recognised by the issue of additional clasps/rosettes to the Long Service Medal, but 25 years service is a significant length of time to commit to any job or career, particularly in this day and age when so many people expect to have several careers through their lifetime. Has any thought been given to introducing a separate medal recognising such length of service? I believe it would be a worthwhile inclusion in our honours and awards system. FLTLT Mike Gane RAAFSALT RAAF Base Wagga Director Honours and Awards Irene Wilson responds: Thank you for your suggestion of a new medal. Twenty-five years is indeed a significant length of service, and the suggestion to recognise significant service with a specific medal has been made many times. The proposal was considered by the Committee of Inquiry into Defence and Defence Related Awards (CIDA) when it reviewed the principles that govern military honours and awards in 1993-94. The committee’s report stated: “The committee believes that 15 years as a standard time for a long service award is well entrenched in the Australian system and it does not support any variation of this time for the Defence Force Service Awards. Nor does the committee support the introduction of a new and discrete award for service for a period of time greater than 15 years. The committee believes that such service is adequately catered for under the existing system of clasps for additional five year periods of service.” The government of the time and successive governments have supported the outcomes of CIDA and implemented its recommendations. In each case they have formed the view that clasps to the current Defence Long Service Medal are considered appropriate recognition for periods of service more than 15 years. |
