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Vietnam War - Victoria Police Officers
Victoria Police Officers who served in the Military during the Vietnam War 1964-1972
Description of Medals
pictures of various awarded badges also included
The Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975
is a nickel-silver medal ensigned with the Crown of St Edward.
The obverse has a Federation Star with the inscription ‘The Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975’.
The reverse has a wreath of golden wattle flanking a central horizontal panel.
Medal Ribbon
The medal ribbon has a central red stripe flanked by yellow stripes which in turn are flanked by stripes of blue, green and purple.
The Vietnam Medal
is a circular medal made of nickel-silver. The obverse bears the crowned effigy of The Queen with the inscription 'Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina F.D.'.
The reverse of the medal has the word 'Vietnam' at the top centre above a depiction of a man standing between two symbolic spheres.
Medal Ribbon
The medal ribbon contains the yellow stripes of South Vietnam in the centre. The ribbon also has a blue stripe to represent the Navy, two red stripes for the Army and a light blue stripe for the Air Force.
Service for the Vietnam Medal is recognised between 29 May 1964 and 27 January 1973.
Qualifying service for the Vietnam Medal includes:
- 28 days in ships or craft on inland waters or off the coast of Vietnam.
- One or more days on the posted strength of a unit or formation on land.
- One operational sortie over Vietnam or Vietnamese water by aircrew on the posted strength of a unit.
- Official visits either continuous or aggregate of 30 days.
- One day or more by members of accredited philanthropic organisations attached to Australian forces in an official capacity for full-time duty
National Police Service Medal
The National Police Service Medal recognises the special status that sworn police officers have because of their role protecting the community. It represents a police officer's past and future commitment to give ethical and diligent service.
The National Police Service Medal was established on 9 November 2010 by Letters Patent.
The Governor-General awards the National Police Service Medal on the recommendation of the responsible Police Commissioner.
While a minimum of 15 years service is required to qualify for the National Police Service Medal, it does not represent a distinct period of service. A police officer must have been serving on or after 14 February 1975 in order to qualify for the National Police Service Medal.
The National Police Service Medal can also be awarded to persons whose ability to complete the minimum qualifying period has been removed through death, injury or disability in the course of their police service.
Inquiries about individual eligibility and applications for the medal should be addressed to the relevant Police Commissioner.
The National Police Service Medal can also be awarded to persons whose ability to complete the minimum qualifying period has been removed through death, injury or disability in the course of their police service.
The medal was designed by Inspector Rick Steinborn of the NSW Police Service and the ribbon by Federal Agent James Cheshire of the Australian Federal Police.
The medal is finished in cupro-nickel. The St Edward’s Crown, representing the Sovereign whom all Australian police officers ultimately serve, is located on the suspender bar. The front (obverse) of the medal features the Federation Star located inside an unbroken circular chequered band, known as ‘Sillitoe Tartan’. The Federation Star represents the national scope of the medal, while the Sillitoe Tartan is the internationally recognised symbol of policing. The unbroken band surrounds the star, signifying the unity and cooperation between each of the individual state, federal and territory police forces who together protect the entire Commonwealth. The back (reverse) of the medal has two sprays of golden wattle, the national floral symbol, located immediately below a raised horizontal panel on which the recipient’s details can be engraved. The words ‘FOR SERVICE AS AN AUSTRALIAN POLICE OFFICER’ appear in capital letters around the inside of the outer rim.
The ribbon has a central panel of three stripes of dark blue, gold and dark blue. The central panel is flanked by white panels, each bisected by a thin red stripe. Blue and gold are Australia's heraldic colours, commonly used in the ribbons of Australian medals, while the blue and white are colours traditionally associated with police and police awards. The thin red stripes represent the ever-present hazards experienced in service as an Australian police officer.
The National Medal
is a circular bronze medal ensigned with the Crown of St Edward. The front of the medal features the Commonwealth Coat of Arms in a recessed circle. The rim of the medal carries the inscription ‘The National Medal’.
The back of the medal is plain.
The medal was designed by Mr Stuart Devlin AO CMG.
Medal ribbon
The 32 millimetre-wide ribbon features 15 alternating gold and blue vertical stripes
The Governor-General awards the National Medal. Nominations are made by the chief officer of the nominee’s organisation. The chief officer of each approved organisation also administers the medal for that organisation. If you consider you are eligible for the National Medal contact your chief officer.
The award recognises long service in approved organisations that protect life and property at some risk to their members.
Many, but not all, eligible groups are uniformed. Fifteen years’ service is required to qualify. Clasps are available for each additional ten years’ service.
The Australian Defence Medal
is a circular medal comprised of cupro-nickel. The obverse features the Commonwealth Coat of Arms with a sprig of wattle with the top outer edge inscribed with the words ‘The Australian Defence Medal’. The reverse is ensigned with the Crown of St Edward and includes the words ‘For Service’, surrounded by a wreath of wattle.
The ribbon colours include the black and red colour of the Flanders poppy and two white stripes to divide the red into three segments to denote the three services of the Australian Defence Force.
The eligibility criteria requires completion of an initial enlistment period or four years service, whichever is the lesser. The criteria also includes those who could not serve the four-year qualifying period or complete an initial enlistment period for one or more of the following reasons:
- the death of a member during service;
- the discharge of the member as medically unfit due to compensable impairment;
- the discharge of the member due to a prevailing discriminatory Defence policy, as determined by the Chief of the Defence Force or his or her delegate.
The Anniversary of National Service 1951-1972 Medal
is a bronze medal ensigned with the Crown of St Edward.
The obverse depicts an Australian Defence Force emblem with the crossed swords of the Army taking precedence. The Federation Star surmounts the emblem. The words 'Anniversary of National Service' are on the perimeter of the medal and the years 1951-1972 are on the central bottom edge.
The reverse shows the Southern Cross overlaid on spreading rays and surrounded by a cog: a traditional symbol for the spirit of co-operation between the Australian Defence Force and the community.
Medal Ribbon
The medal ribbon has a central gold stripe flanked by dark blue stripes which in turn are flanked by stripes of white, green, light blue and ochre.
ABOUT US
The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
was issued by the Government of the Republic of Vietnam for service in the prescribed area of operations in Vietnam during the period commencing on 31 July 1962 and ending on 27 January 1973 for Australian personnel.
The medal is a gold and white enamelled star with a green, red and gold centre motif.
The ribbon is green with three white stripes. A ribbon device bearing the inscription ‘1960 – ‘ is worn on the medal ribbon. A smaller device with the inscription ‘60- ‘ is worn on the ribbon bar.
The Australian government maintained the basic qualifying criteria specified by the Republic of Vietnam for allied troops. To be eligible for the medal a person must have completed a minimum period of 181 days, either continuous or aggregated, unless:
- killed on active service (KIA);
- wounded in action i.e. classified as a Battle Casualty and evacuated as a result of those wounds; or
- captured and later released or escaped.
Note that medical evacuation from the area of operations for any reasons other than wounds received in action does not constitute an exemption from meeting the minimum qualifying period
The Victoria Police Service Medal (VPSM)
is recognition by the Chief Commissioner of the sustained diligent and ethical service of Victoria Police employees.
Medal issued for 10 years service with a clasp issued for each further period of 5 years eligible service.
Due to recent change in the eligibility criteria, the VPSM is now available to former employees who left Victoria Police prior to the introduction of the VPSM on 26th February 1996.
Other Awarded Medals & Badges
Mililitary Medal- Imperial Award
The Military Medal (MM) was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land.
The medal was established on 25 March 1916. It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Military Cross (MC), (which was awarded to commissioned officers and, rarely, to Warrant Officers, although WOs could also be awarded the MM).
The MM ranked below the MC and the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), which was also awarded to non-commissioned members of the Army.
Recipients of the Military Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "MM".
In 1993 the Military Medal was discontinued. Since then the Military Cross has been awarded to personnel of all ranks.
The Infantry Combat Badge (ICB)
is awarded to a serving member of the Australian Army for service as an Infantryman in warlike operations.
The purpose of the ACB Medal is to recognise the unique service of a member operating with an Arms Corps unit within a warlike area of operations.
The purpose of the ACB is not to recognise combat duties but to recognise service with a combat element through formal force assignment.
Returned from Active Service Badge
is issued to those returning from warlike service.
