Leslie Massey
The Australian Service Medal (ASM) is an Australian military decoration awarded to members of the Australian Defence Force for their service in non-warlike and peacekeeping operations. The ASM was established on 13 September 1988 and recognises service in various international missions, such as in the Persian Gulf, Lebanon, and East Timor. Eligibility and application details for the ASM are available on the pmc.gov.au and defence.gov.au websites. Former national servicemen can apply for the ASM using the Defence Honours and Awards Application Form. The next of kin of deceased servicemen may also apply for the medal.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is it? | The Australian Service Medal is an Australian military decoration that recognises service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. |
| Who is eligible? | Members of the Australian Defence Force and certain other persons in specified peacekeeping and non-warlike military operations. |
| Where to apply? | pmc.gov.au and defence.gov.au |
| Additional information | The medal is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation and subsequent awards are made in the form of additional clasps. |
| Examples of clasps | Clasp SE Asia, Clasp Sinai, Clasp Haiti, Clasp Kuwait, Clasp Iraq, Clasp Rwanda, Clasp Sierra Leone, Clasp Special Ops, Clasp Solomon Is, Clasp East Timor, Clasp Korea, Clasp Cambodia, Clasp Sudan, Clasp Timor-Leste, Clasp Ethiopia/Eritrea, Clasp Irian Jaya, Clasp Bougainville, Clasp Kuwait, Clasp Balkans, Clasp Guatemala, Clasp Rhodesia, Clasp Rwanda, Clasp SE Asia, Clasp Iraq, Clasp East Timor, Clasp Solomon Is, Clasp Special Ops, Clasp Sierra Leone, Clasp Ethiopia/Eritrea, Clasp Irian Jaya, Clasp Haiti, Clasp Sudan |
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What You'll Learn
Eligibility criteria for the Australian Service Medal
The Australian Service Medal (ASM) is a military decoration that recognises the service of members of the Australian Defence Force and certain other persons in specified peacekeeping and non-warlike military operations. The ASM was authorised on 13 September 1988 and is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation. Subsequent awards for further operations are made in the form of additional clasps.
The ASM recognises service in the following operations:
- 30 days with the First and Second United Nations Operations in Somalia, including associated activities in the areas extending 20 kilometres into Ethiopia and Kenya, 10 kilometres into Djibouti, and 12 nautical miles (22 km) into the territorial waters of Somalia, between 17 October 1992 and 30 April 1993.
- 30 days with the Truce Monitoring Group in Bougainville (Operations BEL ISI I and II) from 20 November 1997 to 26 August 2003.
- 30 days with Operation RAMP II from 13 November 2007 to 5 December 2008 (for members of the ADF who served in the area comprising Lebanon only).
- 7 days/sorties (12 May – 16 June 2006) or 30 days/sorties (10 June 2006 onwards) on Operation ASTUTE from 12 May 2006 to 26 June 2008.
- 30 days with Operation HEDGEROW, the ADF contingent with the United Nations and African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) from 28 July 2008 to 21 June 2011.
- 30 days with Operation AZURE, the ADF contingent with the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) from 10 April 2005 to 31 December 2011.
The ASM is typically awarded to members of the Australian Defence Force, but the next of kin of deceased individuals may also apply for the medal. Entitlement to the ASM is usually recorded on the individual's personal service record, which can be obtained from the National Archives of Australia. If medal entitlements are not included on the record, individuals can apply to Defence Honours and Awards for details of their medal entitlements and any medals that have been issued.
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How to prove your service
To prove your service when applying for the Australian Service Medal, you must provide evidence of your participation in prescribed peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. The Australian Service Medal (ASM) recognises service rendered by members of the Australian Defence Force in these specific operations.
Entitlement to the ASM is typically recorded on an individual's personal service record. You can access your personal service records from the National Archives of Australia. If your medal entitlements are not included in your service record, you can apply to Defence Honours and Awards for details of your medal entitlements and any medals that have been issued.
For former national servicemen applying for the ASM, the Defence Honours and Awards Application Form can be used to establish your service number and dates of service if you served in the Army. If you served with the RAAF or RAN, you will need to obtain copies of your service records from the National Archives of Australia.
The ASM may also be awarded for specific periods of service with other organisations, including the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). For example, 30 days of service with the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala from 15 February 1997 to 14 May 1997 or 30 days of service with the Truce Monitoring Group in Bougainville from 20 November 1997 to 26 August 2003 would qualify for the ASM.
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Where to find application forms
The Australian Service Medal recognises the service of members of the Defence Force and certain other persons in specified peacekeeping and non-warlike military operations. Former national servicemen can apply for the Medal using the Defence Honours and Awards Application Form. The next of kin of those who have died may also apply for the Medal.
The Defence Honours and Awards will be able to establish the service number and dates of service for those who served with the Army. Those who did their National Service with the RAAF and RAN will need to obtain copies of their service records from the National Archives of Australia.
If medal entitlements are not included on the individual's service record, you can apply to Defence Honours and Awards for details of their medal entitlements and medals that have been issued. Only the initial recipient of medals is permitted to receive replacement medals. Applications for replacement medals should be made to Defence Honours and Awards. The Replacement Medals Policy is available on the website.
More information about eligibility and how to apply is available on the pmc.gov.au and defence.gov.au websites.
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Medals for next of kin
The next of kin of deceased individuals who have served in the Australian Defence Force can apply for a service medal on their behalf. The Australian War Memorial provides guidelines on how to apply for a medal.
The next of kin can apply for the Civilian Service Medal 1939-1945, which recognises civilian service in World War II. The next of kin will need to obtain proof of service from the National Archives of Australia Fact Sheet 39. The National Archives of Australia holds personal service records that include medal entitlements. If the entitlement is not included in the record, the next of kin can apply to Defence Honours and Awards for details of medal entitlements and medals that have been issued.
If the individual who served is deceased, the next of kin can purchase replicas of the medal from commercial companies, such as coin and medal dealers, medal mounting businesses, and online manufacturers of replica medals.
It is important to note that only the initial recipient of medals is permitted to receive replacement medals. Applications for replacement medals should be made to Defence Honours and Awards, and their Replacement Medals Policy is available on their website.
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Foreign medals
The Australian Service Medal recognises prescribed service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. It is a nickel-silver medal with the Crown of St Edward. The obverse features a modified shield of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, while the reverse shows clusters of mimosa blossoms surrounding a Federation Star with the inscription "For Service".
Personnel who receive this medal may also be entitled to receive a service or campaign medal from an international organisation or the host country, if they meet the eligibility criteria. These are treated as foreign medals in the Australian system and must be approved for wear on service uniforms. They are worn after Australian medals in the order they are received.
Recipients of the ASM may be authorised to wear up to two further medals from an international organisation and a host nation for the same period of service. Some of these medals have blanket authority for all recipients to wear, while others are approved on an individual basis. Foreign medals include those from the United Nations or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Operation OSIER) in the Balkans region, the Truce Monitoring Group in Bougainville (Operations BEL ISI I and II), and the Multinational Military Force in the Persian Gulf.
Foreign awards are commonly given to Australians for campaign and peacekeeping service. Permission to accept and wear these awards is granted by the Governor-General, on the Prime Minister's recommendation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian Service Medal (ASM) is an Australian military decoration. It recognises the service of members of the Defence Force and certain other persons in specified peacekeeping and non-warlike military operations.
Eligibility criteria for the Australian Service Medal vary depending on the nature of the service. Generally, the ASM recognises service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations, with specific eligibility criteria for each operation. Examples include service in the Sinai region between February 9, 1982, and April 28, 1986, and service with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan from September 23, 2011, to October 31, 2023.
Information on eligibility and how to apply for the Australian Service Medal is available on the pmc.gov.au and defence.gov.au websites. Former national servicemen can apply for the Medal using the Defence Honours and Awards Application Form.
Yes, the next of kin of those who have died may also apply for the Medal. Defence Honours and Awards can establish the service number, dates of service, and other relevant details for those who served in the Army. For those who served with the RAAF and RAN, the next of kin will need to obtain copies of their service records from the National Archives of Australia.
