Defence Force Service Medal
The Defence Force Service Medal (DFSM) was an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent members of the Australian Defence Force. It was 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 with effect 20 April 1999 with a single medal, the Defence Long Service Medal, which is now awarded to all permanent and reserve members irrespective of rank.
Also recorded as DFSM
Defence Force Service Medal
- Name
- Defence Force Service Medal
- Field
- Australian honours system · medal · service award
- Period
- Defence Force Service Medal was established or created on 20 April 1982.
- Region
- Defence Force Service Medal is situated in Australia.
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Documentary summary
The Defence Force Service Medal (DFSM) was an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent members of the Australian Defence Force. It was 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 with effect 20 April 1999 with a single medal, the Defence Long Service Medal, which is now awarded to all permanent and reserve members irrespective of rank.
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wikidata · Q5251186 · wikipedia · Defence Force Service Medal
In this article
Overview
Overview
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 a small Federation Star indicates the fifth and subsequent clasps.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Defence Force Service Medal • Presenter — Australia • Type — Medal • Eligibility — Members of the Australian Defence Force • 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 • Established — 20 April 1982 • Total Awarded — 119,000 • Precedence Label — Order of Wear • Higher — Centenary Medal • Lower — Reserve Force Decoration (RFD) • Related — Defence Long Service Medal • Image2 — – 20 years – 25 years – 30 years – 35 years – 40 years – 45 years • Caption2 — Ribbon with Rosette(s) (top four), Ribbon with Federation Star (bottom)
Chronology
Dated record
Chronology
The full dated record · 2 entries
1982
Defence Force Service Medal first recorded.
1982
Defence Force Service Medal was established or created on 20 April 1982.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Defence Force Service Medal is situated in Australia.
Country
Defence Force Service Medal is associated with Australia.
Country
Description
• The DFSM is a cupro-nickel circular chamfered medal. The obverse has the Joint Service Emblem. • The reverse is inscribed "For Efficient Service in the Permanent Forces" in capital letters around the circumference. • The ribbon has three equal stripes of gold and azure-blue edged with azure-blue. The colours were the national colours of Australia at the time of introduction. • The clasp is a cupro-nickel bar with the Royal Cypher flanked by sprigs of wattle in the centre. When the ribbon is worn alone a clasp is indicated by the addition of a cupro-nickel round rosette, or a silver miniature Federation Star.
Context
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which Defence Force Service Medal stands. Recorded as a kind of Australian honours system. Established or created on 20 April 1982. Situated in Australia. Associated with Australia.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Defence Force Service Medal”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5251186: Defence Force Service Medal
General reference · Wikidata
Other Australian long service awards
Other Australian long service awards include: • Reserve Force Decoration (not currently awarded) • Reserve Force Medal (not currently awarded) • Defence Long Service Medal • National Medal • Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal • Australian Defence Medal 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).
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Token. Medal Yearbook 2013. 397. 2013. 978-1-908-828-00-2.
- 2.Australian Government. The Order of Wearing of Australian Honours and Awards. It's an Honour.
- 3.Department of Defence. Defence Force Service Medal.
- 4.Department of Defence. Reserve Force Decoration.
- 5.Department of Defence. Reserve Force Medal.
- 6.Department of Defence. Defence Long Service Medal.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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