Defence may consider matters where a member’s service, action or performance meets the conditions for a Defence honour from the following categories:

Applications received from, or relating to, current serving Australian Defence Force members will be referred to their respective Service or Joint Operations Command.

Process

The application should address the conditions for the awarding of the identified honour as described by the relevant regulations. 

The applicant may identify a suite of honours for which they are seeking recognition and, if doing so, should address the conditions for each of the relevant honours included in that suite. 
Conditions can be found in the Defence Honours and awards lists above, or on the Governor-General's website.

The application should describe:

  • what happened
  • the specific action and the circumstances
  • where and when it happened
  • who else was involved
  • who witnessed the action.

Supporting evidence

An opinion or comparison made with other awards or potential awards is not sufficient to support an assessment. Information and/or evidence that is comparative, anecdotal, unsubstantiated or based on opinion will be returned to the applicant with a request to provide additional substantive evidence.

Witness statements from a person(s) (other than the person being nominated), who either observed the reference action or was a more senior person in the chain of command at the time of the action, can assist in providing further objectivity and context for the nomination.

Refer to the Supporting evidence page for more details on the different types of evidence.

Submissions

Applications for Defence honours can be made via email to dha.reviews@defence.gov.au.

An application checklist has been provided.

Application checklist (PDF, 159.88 KB)

Timeframes

Honour assessments require extensive research and consideration. The length of time to research, assess and consider an application is dependent on the complexity of the case and quality of evidence provided or available with Defence records.

Defence has received honours applications across multiple conflicts and military campaigns, as well as for non-operational service achievement. To assist in the processing of these applications, Defence is assessing applications for recognition of historical actions in the chronological order of the action/event, with living veterans prioritised. This is to ensure Defence continues to provide veterans with an avenue to seek an assessment of an honour as well as assist in the availability of eyewitness statements and access to archival records. 

Timeframes may exceed beyond 12 to 18 months from the date the application is received.

Following the conclusion of the assessment, the applicant will be advised of the outcome in writing.

Independent review

After a decision is made by Defence for a Defence honour, a request for an independent review can be made via the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal.

Contacts

dha.reviews@defence.gov.au