Type Medal for long service Established 6 May 1985 | Status Currently awarded | |
Eligibility Regular Force non-commissioned officers and other ranks of the New Zealand Defence Force Awarded for Fifteen years of unblemished service Clasps For each additional 15 years of service | ||
The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a military award recognizing 15 years of exemplary and unblemished service by non-commissioned and other ranks members of the New Zealand Defence Force. Established in 1985, these medals replaced the British Long Service and Good Conduct Medals with specific versions for New Zealand. There are three version of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, one each for the New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Contents
Criteria
The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal may be awarded after 15 years of full-time service, or a combined 15 years of full-time service, in the Regular Force of the New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, and Royal New Zealand Air Force. A subsequent award of the medal, based upon the completion of an additional 15 years of qualifying service, is denoted by a medal bar or a rosette worn on the service ribbon. During the period of qualifying service, only service members, "whose character and conduct have been irreproachable and who are recommended by their commanding officer." are eligible for the medal.
Service which may be counted towards the award of the medal or clasp, is classified as follows:
Appearance
The New Zealand Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is circular in shape, made of silver. The obverse bears the crowned effigy of the Sovereign, surrounded by the inscription Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina F.D. The reverse is plain with the inscription in four lines For Long Service and Good Conduct. The medal is suspended from a crimson ribbon edged in white, 32 mm in width. The medal attaches to the ribbon by an ornamental title bar bearing the words New Zealand in relief.
The Royal New Zealand Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is circular in shape, made of silver. The obverse of the medal bears the young uncrowned effigy of the Sovereign, surrounded by the inscription Elizabeth·II·Dei·Gratia·Regina·F:D: The reverse bears a representation of HMS Victory, encircled by a rope, joined at the bottom in a Reef knot. It is surrounded by the inscription For Long Service and Good Conduct. The medal is suspended from a blue ribbon edged in white, 32 mm in width. The medal attaches to the ribbon by a straight hang bar.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is circular in shape, made of silver. The obverse of the medal bears the young uncrowned effigy of the Sovereign, surrounded by the inscription Elizabeth·II·Dei·Gratia·Regina·F:D: The reverse depicts a stylized eagle in flight with spread wings, surmounted by the tudor crown. Surrounding the eagle is the inscription For Long Service and Good Conduct. The medal is suspended from a ribbon of equal stripes of blue and red, edged in white, 32 mm in width. The medal attaches to the ribbon by a curved ornamented bar.