How it is awarded
The Governor-General awards the medal on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Force.
The medal was awarded initially for a period of 7 days service in the prescribed area from 18 March 2003. From 1 May 2003 the qualifying period was extended to 30 days.
The application form is available from the Department of Defence website. To access the Alternate Application Process, please call 1800 333 362.
History
The Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP, announced the establishment of the Iraq Medal and the Afghanistan Medal on Anzac Day 2004.
This campaign medal honours those Australian Defence Force members who served, and continue to serve, in and around Iraq.
Australian Defence Force deployments to Iraq are also recognised through the award, the Australian Active Service Medal, clasp 'Iraq'.
The Iraq Medal was formally established by Letters Patent on 30 September 2004.
Medal design
The Iraq Medal features the Commonwealth Coat of Arms on the front and images of symbolic relevance to the area of operation on the back.
The reverse of the Iraq Medal is based on a processional lion, which is copied from a relief on the Gateway of the Temple of Ishtar in Babylon. In the Assyrian Empire, the lion was a dominant symbol of power. The lion stands on a narrow plinth, symbolising balance, with the word 'Iraq' inscribed underneath.
Medal ribbon
The medal ribbon has a central vertical stripe of red, signifying the conflict in Iraq. This is flanked by stripes of purple representing the three arms of the Australian Defence Force. The wide, outer stripes of yellow symbolise Iraq's desert sands.