NZ Defence Service Medal – Update

The tender process for production of the medal has been completed. The successful tenderer will be announced next year after the contract has been finalised and signed.

The first stage of the application process is expected to open in late February/early March. Medals will be issued based on the age of the living ex-Service person. The medals will be sent to the oldest applicants first and to those of any age who are terminally ill. To assist NZDF in ensuring the oldest applicants receive their medals first, it is expected that the initial call will be made for applications from ex-Service personnel over seventy years of age. Any applications received from persons under that age will not be processed and persons should wait until the NZDF advises that the next age group should send in their applications. This is also the case for those applying of behalf of deceased spouses, next of kin etc.

Hiring of additional staff to work on the NZDSM project at Trentham Military Camp will begin in February and March 2011.

An initial NZDSM presentation will be made to a selected group of ex-Service personnel at a ceremony in Parliament in the first half of 2011. For logistical reasons it is anticipated that the majority of these personnel will be drawn from the Wellington area.

“The continuing patience of ex-Service persons and their families is acknowledged and sincerely appreciated,” said Commodore Kevin Keat. “NZDF is making excellent progress on its preparations for issuing more than 100,000 NZDSMs. It is worth noting that NZDF has set itself a challenging target of less than six months to be ready to issue the NZDSM. This is less than half the 12 months required by NZDF in 2001-2002 to prepare itself for the issue of (only) 12,000 New Zealand Operational Service Medals.”

For further information please read the NZDSM FAQ sheet at http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdsm/faqs.html which is being updated regularly basis in line with questions received through the medals site.
 
Once the application process opens the Medals Office aim to deliver medals to those entitled to receive them as quickly as possible and will be providing frequent updates about the NZDSM Project on the NZDF Medals website at medals.nzdf.mil.nz.