The Australian Conspicuous Service Medal is the second level award of the Conspicuous Service Decorations.
If the same person receives a further conspicuous service award it is in the form of a nickel-silver bar displaying the medal emblem. The bar is attached to the ribbon of the original award.
Recipients have the post-nominals of CSM. Those awarded a bar or bars may also use ‘and Bar’ or ‘and Bars’ after their name.
The Conspicuous Service Decorations were instituted for the purpose of recognising service in non-warlike operations. They are awarded primarily to members of the Australian Defence Force.
There are two levels of the decorations and an additional decoration called the Nursing Service Cross.
The Australian Conspicuous Service Medal is awarded for meritorious achievement or devotion to duty in non-war like situations.
How it is awarded
The Governor-General makes an award of a Conspicuous Service Decoration on the recommendation of the Minister for Defence.
The Conspicuous Service Decorations are announced in January and June each year. The Governor-General may also make immediate awards for Conspicuous Service Decorations on the recommendation of the minister and these are announced separately as they occur.
The decoration may be awarded posthumously.
History
The Conspicuous Service Cross and the Conspicuous Service Medal are specifically Australian military awards.
They are awarded to members of the Australian Defence Force and certain other people such as members of philanthropic organisations.
The Nursing Service Cross was introduced in Australia in 1989 to recognise outstanding performance of nursing duties. The cross is primarily awarded to members of the Australian Defence Force.
Nurses have always played a vital role in the Australian Defence Forces.
Queen Victoria presented Florence Nightingale with a specially designed jewel in 1855 for her services in the Crimean War.
Prior to 1989 there was no specific award for Australian nurses. They could be awarded the Imperial Royal Red Cross.
About 250 Australian nurses received one of the two classes of the cross between the Boer War and the Vietnam War
The Conspicuous Service Decorations were all instituted on 18 October 1989 by Letters Patent.
Medal design
The Conspicuous Service Medal is a circular nickel-silver medal 38 millimetres in diameter. It is ensigned with the Crown of Saint Edward in nickel-silver. The front of the medal bears the Southern Cross surrounded by a laurel wreath. The back of the medal has a horizontal panel that is superimposed on a design of fluted rays.
Medal ribbon
The medal is suspended from a 32 millimetre wide ribbon, by a nickel-silver suspension bar. The ribbon has alternating equal-width, diagonal stripes of bush green and sandy gold.