UPDATE ON THE LONG SERVICE AWARDS REVIEW

2 December 2015
Changes to the eligibility rules for the existing ten New Zealand military long service awards are expected to be announced by mid-2016, once the governing Royal Warrants and accompanying regulations are in place. Additional work is currently being undertaken on the definitions of ‘Efficient Service’ and ‘Character and Conduct’ which will be included in the new regulations.

As advised on 25 August 2015, the existing long service awards will remain, but the entitlement criteria will allow all eligible New Zealand military service to be counted. For example, service will be able to be accumulated rather than continuous (as is currently required for some awards). This will deliver a fairer system while maintaining the standing of the long service awards.

The appropriate long service award issued will reflect the majority of each recipient’s service. Persons who already have a long service award will continue to wear the award they have. There will be no swapping of awards.

Current serving military personnel will not need to apply for their long service entitlement to be assessed under the new rules. They will be automatically assessed via the data in their SAP HCM records. Please note that given the number of eligible personnel it may take around six to nine months after the announcement to confirm and issue the medal entitlement for every current serving military Service person.

Applications from eligible ex-Service persons are expected to be called for in the second half of 2016.

Full information on the changes will be released at the time of the formal announcement.