Type Medal | Established 20 April 1982 | |
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Awarded for a minimum of 15 years "qualifying service", including an assessment of good conduct Status Closed, but additional service clasps can still be issued to existing awardees Clasps every 5 years of additional service beyond the initial 15 years | ||
The Defence Force Service Medal (DFSM) is an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent members of the Australian Defence Force. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD, for officers of the Australian Defence Force Reserves) and the Reserve Force Medal (RFM, for non-commissioned members of the Reserve forces). All three medals were replaced in 2002 with a single medal, the Defence Long Service Medal, which is now awarded to all permanent and reserve members irrespective of rank.
Contents
Additional service clasps are issued for each further 5 years after the initial 15 year qualifying service period. On the ribbon, a rosette indicates the award of each clasp, although the fifth and subsequent clasps are indicated by a small Federation Star. With the introduction of the Defence Long Service Medal, the DFSM is now a closed award with only clasps to existing awards continuing to be issued.
Description
Other Australian long service awards
Other Australian long service awards include:
While not awarded for "long service" per se, the Australian Defence Medal is sometimes classified as a "long service medal" - it is intended to recognise all those who completed an obligation to serve their country (whether voluntarily or conscripted).