Country South Africa Status Discontinued in 2003 | Eligibility All ranks Established 1987 | |
Type Military long service medal Awarded for Forty years of loyal service and distinguished conduct | ||
The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service is a South African military medal which was instituted by the Republic in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for forty years of loyal service and distinguished conduct.
Contents
The South African military
The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
Institution
The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service was instituted by the State President in 1987.
Award criteria
The medal could be awarded to Permanent Force, Citizen Force and Commando members of the South African Defence Force for forty years of loyal service and distinguished conduct.
Order of wear
The position of the Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service in the official order of precedence was revised twice, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force in 1994 and again upon the institution of a new set of awards in 2003.
Description
The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service is a medallion, struck in 9 carat gold, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the centre, depicting the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.
The reverse has the Roman numeral "XL", surrounded by a wreath of leaves, with the medal number stamped or engaved above.
The original ribbon was 32 millimetres wide and green, with a single multicoloured band in the centre consisting of a 1 millimetre wide white band, three bands in orange, white and blue, all three 4 millimetres wide, and a 1 millimetre wide white band. Orange, white and blue are the colours of the pre-1994 national flag.
A second version exists, with the orange and blue bands now both 4 millimetres wide and all three white bands 2 millimetres wide. These ribbons were replaced when the new national flag was instituted.
The new ribbon was also 32 millimetres wide and green, with a single multicoloured band in the centre consisting of red, white, black, yellow and blue bands, all five bands 2 millimetres wide. Green, red, white, black, yellow and blue are the colours of the post-1994 South African national flag.
Discontinuation
Conferment of the medal was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003.