How it is awarded
The Governor-General awards the Australian Service Medal on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Force or their delegate.
The medal is awarded with a clasp denoting the prescribed operation. Subsequent awards to the same person are made with an additional clasp.
The application form is available from the Department of Defence website. To access the Alternate Application Process, please call 1800 333 362.
There is no post-nominal entitlement for this medal.
History
The Australian Service Medal was established on 13 September 1988 by Letters Patent but it is for service from February 1975.
The Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 is for service in prescribed peacekeeping or non-warlike operations in the 30-year period following World War II.
Medal design
The Australian Service Medal is a nickel-silver medal ensigned with the Crown of St Edward. The obverse features a modified shield of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms surmounted by the Australian Defence Force Joint Service emblem superimposed on meridians of longitude.
The reverse of the medal shows clusters of mimosa blossoms surrounding a Federation Star with the inscription ‘For Service’.
Medal ribbon
The medal ribbon has a central brown stripe symbolizing the earth. It is flanked by two stripes of dark green which in turn are flanked by stripes of light green, gold and silver-green.