Post-nominal entitlements
Many awards carry an entitlement for recipients to use indicative letters after their name - for example, ‘OAM’ for the Medal of the Order of Australia. These indicative letters are known as post-nominals.
Post-nominals may be used from the date on which the award is gazetted.
If a recipient is entitled to post-nominals for more than one award, the sequence of the post-nominals is indicated by the Order of Wearing for Australian honours and awards. Please note that within the Order of Australia, the highest award is the only post-nominal used. For example, Mr John Citizen who has received the OAM, the AM and the AC, will be addressed as Mr John Citizen AC.
There are established post-nominal entitlements for Australian honours and Imperial honours listed in the table below. Please note this list is in alphabetical order (and not in the order of wearing of awards – which can be found under Wearing Awards).
Awards marked with an asterisk * have no post-nominal entitlement.
Australian honours and post-nominal entitlements |
|
|---|---|
|
Honour |
Post-nominal |
|
80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal |
* |
|
Afghanistan Medal |
* |
|
Ambulance Service Medal |
ASM |
|
Anniversary of National Service 1951-1972 Medal |
* |
|
Australia Service Medal 1939-1945 |
* |
|
Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975 |
* |
|
Australian Antarctic Medal |
AAM |
|
Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal |
* |
|
Australian Defence Medal |
* |
|
Australian Corrections Medal |
ACM |
|
Australian Fire Service Medal |
AFSM |
|
Australian Intelligence Medal |
AIM |
|
Australian Police Medal |
APM |
|
Australian Service Medal |
* |
|
Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 |
* |
|
Australian Sports Medal |
* |
|
Bravery Medal |
BM |
|
Centenary Medal |
* |
|
Champion Shots Medal |
* |
|
Civilian Service Medal 1939-1945 |
* |
|
Commendation for Brave Conduct |
* |
|
Commendation for Distinguished Service |
* |
|
Commendation for Gallantry |
* |
|
Companion of the Order of Australia |
AC |
|
Conspicuous Service Cross |
CSC |
|
Conspicuous Service Medal |
CSM |
|
Cross of Valour |
CV |
|
Dame of the Order of Australia (no longer offered) |
AD |
|
Defence Force Service Medal |
* |
|
Defence Long Service Medal |
* |
|
Distinguished Service Cross |
DSC |
|
Distinguished Service Medal |
DSM |
|
Emergency Services Medal |
ESM |
|
Group Bravery Citation |
* |
|
Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal |
* |
|
International Force East Timor Medal |
* |
|
Iraq Medal |
* |
|
Knight of the Order of Australia (no longer offered) |
AK |
|
Medal for Gallantry |
MG |
|
Medal of the Order of Australia |
OAM |
|
Member of the Order of Australia |
AM |
|
Meritorious Unit Citation |
* |
|
National Emergency Medal |
* |
| National Medal | * |
|
National Police Service Medal |
* |
|
Nursing Service Cross |
NSC |
|
Officer of the Order of Australia |
AO |
|
Police Overseas Service Medal |
* |
|
Public Service Medal |
PSM |
|
Reserve Force Decoration |
RFD |
|
Reserve Force Medal |
* |
|
Rhodesia Medal |
* |
|
Star of Courage |
SC |
|
Star of Gallantry |
SG |
|
Unit Citation for Gallantry |
* |
|
Victoria Cross for Australia |
VC |
|
Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal |
* |
|
Vietnam Medal |
* |
Imperial honours and post-nominal entitlements |
|
|---|---|
|
Honour |
Post-nominal |
|
Distinguished Conduct Medal |
DCM |
|
Distinguished Flying Cross |
DFC |
|
Distinguished Flying Medal |
DFM |
|
Distinguished Service Cross |
DSC |
|
Distinguished Service Medal |
DSM |
|
Distinguished Service Order - Companion |
DSO |
|
Empire Gallantry Medal |
EGM |
|
General Service Medal 1918-62 |
* |
|
General Service Medal 1962 |
* |
|
George Cross |
GC |
|
George Medal |
GM |
|
Imperial Service |
* |
|
Imperial Service Order - Companion |
ISO |
|
Italy Star |
* |
|
King Edward VII Coronation Medal |
* |
|
King George V Coronation Medal |
* |
|
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal |
* |
|
King George VI Coronation Medal |
* |
|
King's Commendation for Brave Conduct |
KCBC |
|
King's Police and Fire Services Medal |
KPFSM |
|
King's South Africa Medal |
* |
|
Knight Bachelor |
* |
|
Mercantile Marine War Medal |
* |
|
Meritorious Service Medal |
MSM |
|
Naval General Service Medal 1915-62 |
* |
|
Pacific Star |
* |
|
Polar Medal |
* |
|
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal |
* |
|
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal |
* |
|
Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct |
* |
|
Queen's South Africa Medal |
* |
|
Sea Gallantry Medal |
SGM |
|
Air Force Cross |
AFC |
|
Air Force Medal |
AFM |
|
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal |
CGM |
|
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) |
CGM(F) |
|
Military Cross |
MC |
|
Military Medal |
MM |
|
The Order of Merit |
OM |
|
The Order of St Michael and St George - Companion |
CMG |
|
The Order of St Michael and St George - Dame Commander |
DCMG |
|
The Order of St Michael and St George - Knight/Dame Grand Cross |
GCMG |
|
The Order of St Michael and St George- Knight Commander |
KCMG |
|
Order of St John |
* |
|
The Order of the Bath - Companion |
CB |
|
The Order of the Bath - Dame Commander |
DCB |
|
The Order of the Bath - Knight Commander |
KCB |
|
The Order of the Bath - Knight/Dame Grand Cross |
GCB |
|
The Order of the British Empire - Commander |
CBE |
|
The Order of the British Empire - Dame Commander |
DBE |
|
The Order of the British Empire - Knight/Dame Grand Cross |
GBE |
|
The Order of the British Empire - Knight Commander |
KBE |
|
The Order of the British Empire - Medal / British Empire Medal |
BEM |
|
The Order of the British Empire - Member |
MBE |
|
The Order of the British Empire - Officer |
OBE |
|
The Order of the Companion of Honour |
CH |
|
The Order of the Garter - Knight |
KG |
|
The Order of the Garter - Lady |
LG |
|
The Order of the Thistle - Knight |
KT |
|
The Order of the Thistle - Lady |
LT |
|
Queen's Fire Service Medal |
QFSM |
|
Queen's Gallantry Medal |
QGM |
|
Queen's Police Medal |
QPM |
|
Royal Red Cross |
RRC |
|
Royal Red Cross (2nd Class) |
ARRC |
|
The Royal Victorian Order - Commander |
CVO |
|
The Royal Victorian Order - Dame Commander |
DCVO |
|
The Royal Victorian Order - Knight/Dame Grand Cross |
GCVO |
|
The Royal Victorian Order - Knight Commander |
KCVO |
|
The Royal Victorian Order - Lieutenant |
LVO |
|
The Royal Victorian Order - Member |
MVO |
|
The Royal Victorian Order - Royal Victorian Medal |
RVM |
|
Victoria Cross |
VC |
|
Victory Medal |
* |
|
War Medal 1939-45 |
* |