The Australian Operational Service Medal is a campaign medal established on 22 May 2012 to recognize service by Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel on designated hazardous operations. It replaces the Australian Active Service Medal and Australian Service Medal for future ADF operations.
The medal is issued to military personnel with a different ribbon for each designated operation. When issued to civilians, a standard ribbon is issued with clasps issued for each designated operation. It may also be awarded to civilians who serve alongside the ADF on designated operations under specific conditions.
The military version of the medal has a standard medal design, but ribbons vary depending on operation. An accumulated service device will be awarded for subsequent qualifying service by ADF members where they undertake further service on an operation for which they have already been awarded the Australian Operational Service Medal. The civilian version uses the same medal design as the military version but is awarded with a unique civilian ribbon and a clasp denoting the declared operation.
To date, three ribbons for ADF service have been announced: order Protection, Greater Middle East Operation, and Special Operations.
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The Australian Operational Service Medal Design
The medal is circular, struck in cupro-nickel, and finished in antique silver.
The obverse bears an old-world stylized world globe signifying global operations, interlinked with a Federation Star. The globe is surrounded by the words ‘AUSTRALIAN OPERATIONAL SERVICE MEDAL’.
The reverse bears a central horizontal stylized scroll with the words ‘Defending Australia and its national interests’, overlaying a wreath of mimosa, above which sits an hourglass motif signifying the ongoing vigilance and timely response of Defence.
The Border Protection ribbon has three equal stripes of dark blue, ochre, and dark green which denote the seas and sky, the deserts, and the forests and grasslands. The Greater Middle East Operation ribbon has three equal stripes of mid-green, black, and light blue, edged by two slim stripes of light sand. Sand represents the desert sands, green represents Australia and hope, black represents anti-piracy, and blue represents the maritime and air aspects. The Special Operations ribbon is 32 mm wide in black with a central stripe of red. Additional accumulated service is denoted by an 8 mm high Arabic numeral with an antique silver finish. The Civilian ribbon is green with central stripes of gold and purple. The purple represents Defence, and green and gold are Australia’s national colors.
