How it is awarded
The Governor-General makes the awards on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Force or the Chief’s delegate.
No more than three medals can be awarded in each calendar year. The medal may be awarded to a member of each of the forces. Each person is selected through a competition.
If the same person receives a further Champion Shots award it is in the form of a date bar, which is attached to the ribbon of the original award.
History
The Champion Shots Medal builds on an extended history in other nations of rewarding skill in weaponry.
In Australia the three armed forces, the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force, conduct annual target-shooting competitions with standard issue weapons.
The Champion Shots Medal was established on 13 September 1988 by Letters Patent.
Medal design
The Champion Shots Medal is a circular antiqued brass medal 38 millimetres in diameter. It is ensigned with the Crown of St Edward, also in antiqued brass. Two wreaths of laurel leaves surround a symbol of two crossed rifles superimposed on the stars of the Southern Cross. There is no design on the back of the medal.
Medal ribbon
The medal is suspended from a 32 millimetres wide ribbon. The ribbon has a central dark blue vertical band flanked by two vertical bands of red, which are in turn bordered by two vertical bands of light blue.
A clasp inscribed with the year awarded is attached to the ribbon.