Ambulance Service Medal (Australia)

Infobox Military Award
name=Ambulance Service Medal


caption=Obverse of medal and ribbon
awarded_by=Australia
type= Medal
eligibility= members of an Australian ambulance service
for= distinguished service
status= Currently awarded
description=
clasps=
established=7 July1999
first_award=
last_award=
total= 117 at 30 June2006
posthumous=
recipients=
individual=
higher= Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM)
same=
lower= Emergency Services Medal (ESM)


caption2=

The Ambulance Service Medal (ASM) is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian ambulance service. The ASM was introduced in 1999.

Awards are made by the Governor-General, on the nomination of the responsible minister in each state and territory. The total number of awards made each year must not exceed the following quota:
* one award for each 1,000, or part of 1,000, full-time permanent members of a state’s ambulance service
* one award for each 5,000, or part of 5,000, part-time, volunteer or auxiliary members in a state
* one award for ambulance members in each of the ACT, NT and the combined External Territories.

Recipients of the Ambulance Service Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "ASM".

Description

* The Ambulance Service Medal is circular and of silver and bronze tones. The front of the medal displays the Federation Star superimposed on a modified Maltese cross, which is representative of ambulance services. This rests on a bed of Australian wattle. The Federation Star is surrounded by twenty-four balls signifying the twenty-four hours per day the Ambulance Service is available to the community.
* The back of the medal bears the inscription ‘For Distinguished Service’.
* The 32 millimetre-wide ribbon features a chevron or V-shaped pattern. The angles are derived from the open end of the arm of the cross. The chevrons are in alternate red, white, red, silver-grey.

References

* [http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/medals/ambulance_service_medal.cfm It's an Honour] Australian Government website