The Australian Defence

Mr KillKill

Active member
On Monday I finally received my Australian Defence Medal, yay.
Although am over the moon at finally getting not only a bit of recognition for eight and half years service but also something to wear of my own on ANZAC day, there were a couple of things that took the shine off it.
Firstly, when I arrived at the Diggers club nobody knew anything about the ceremony even though there were two other recipients already there. Apparently the Dept of Honors & Awards decided to cancel the ceremony almost two weeks before but decided to only tell the Diggers club and not the recipients. They also didn’t bother to inform the local MP presenting the awards, who turned up with a box of medals ready to go. Luckily, due mainly to a couple of phone calls by the MP and her assistant as well as the generosity of the Diggers club, the ceremony was able to proceed. Afterwards the club even provided a free lunch for the recipients and their families to make up for the stuff up (even though they weren’t at fault).
Secondly, when I got home and on closer inspection of the medal, I noticed that the inscription on the side of the medal that should bear my name and service number had a number that I was not familiar with. When I rang the Dept of Honors & Awards I was told that the number on the side was a PMKey number which is now being used in place of the old service number. This new system took effect in 2002 and I was not given a satisfactory answer as to why my number had changed even though I left the reserves in 1998, almost four years before the new system came into place.
I have been told by my family not to worry about it as the inscription can only be seen if you are looking for it but this is not the point. For eight and a half years I had that number and it is as significant to me as is my service, it would therefore have been nice to see the number next to my name. I have been advised by the Dept of Honors & Awards that if I send it back, I can have a new one made up with my old service number printed on the side. Unfortunately, considering the slap hazard, she’l-be-right attitude given towards issuing the medal, I feel that if I sent it away to get fixed, I may never see it again.
My advice to anyone who is still in the process of applying for the medal, be sure you know what you are getting and what will be printed on the side because it seems the Dept of Honors & Awards doesn’t seem to think it a very important medal.
 
PMKeys has replaced the service number defence wide. Even those with service numbers who have left the job have been reissued a PMKeys number, because the records are kept on that system now, not on the old regie number. I think you'll find that as a reserve who has only recently left (in the grand scheme of things) you will still be on the system, ready to be recalled when the next "big one" comes around.

If I were you, and you really want your regie number on it, send it back. You will get it, but it's taking some time... even for those of us in service. It takes 3-8 months from the time the paper work goes in to get it if your in service, and probably longer for those out. It's because they've got something stupid like 2.5 million to produce. But generally they've been pretty good with the blokes from my regiment, and there is generally a couple of ADM's being presented every couple of weeks.
 
Cheers for that, think I will wait till after ANZAC day as by the sounds of it there may be a chance I won't get it back before then.
 
congratulations mate :D sorry it wasnt as good a cerimony as you deserved, but you have done your country proud and we all love ya for it.
 
Congrats honey! :cheers:
If your still having problems PM me and I can put in touch with someone who might be able help you.
 
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