Honours and awards

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for medallic recognition providing you meet the qualifying criteria for a given medal. State awards are subject to different rules and individuals must be nominated for an award.

What's it for?

Honours and awards are intended as a means of recognising particular service beyond the normal demands of duty. Individuals may be:

• appointed to an Order (e.g. Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).

• awarded a Decoration (e.g. Conspicuous Gallantry Cross).

• eligible for a medal (e.g. the General Service Medal, Wider Service Medal, or the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal).

What might I be eligible for?

A full list of all the medals and awards issued can be found on GOV.UK but the main types are listed below.

1. Decorations, Gallantry and Distinguished Conduct medals. These include:

• the Victoria Cross which is the premier Operational Gallantry award given for ‘most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy;

• the George Cross, which is the premier award, given for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. This is awarded for acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger;

• Order of the Bath and British Empire, which are honours awarded for exceptional achievements or contributions at a national, regional or community level.

2. Meritorious Service and Long Service medals. These include:

• the Meritorious Service Medal, which recognises long term service in the armed forces of non-commissioned ranks. You cannot apply for this medal; it’s only issued to current serving personnel who have been recommended by the commanding officer;

• The single Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medals which are awarded to personnel in recognition of exemplary long service (i.e. 15 years of Service);

• The King’s Volunteer Reserve Medal, which is awarded to members of any rank of the Volunteer Reserve Forces, for devotion to duty and exemplary service over a period usually of at least 10 years. You cannot apply for this medal; you must be recommended;

• The Volunteer Reserves Service Medal is awarded to Reserve Forces personnel of all ranks in recognition of long and efficient service. It is to recognise 10 continuous years’ efficient service in the Reserves.

3. Operational medals. The involvement of United Kingdom Armed Forces in operations around the world may give rise to the award of:

• A specific Campaign Medal;

• An Operational Service Medal;

• The General Service Medal 2008;

• The Accumulated Campaign Medal 2011;

• The Wider Service Medal;

• A medal from an international organisation, such as NATO, United Nations and European Union.

How do I apply?

Applications for current and accumulated campaign service medals must be submitted by Local Administrative Units to the MOD Medal Office on JPA. Applications for NATO, UN, EU and other international organisation medals must be submitted to the respective organisation (the MOD Medal Office do not administer such medals).