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 Australian Order of wearing for 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 | * |