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Badges of the Australian Defence Force are military decorations issued by the Depertment of Defence for members of the Australian Defence Force who qualify or achieve certain criteria during their service.

Silver War Badge

The Silver War Badge was issued in the United Kingdom and the British Empire to service personnel who had been honourably discharged due to wounds or sickness from military service in World War I.

See Silver War Badge.

Discharged Returned Soldier/Sailors Badge

The Discharged Retruned Solder Badge and the Discharged Returned Sailors Badge both also known as the Returned from Active Service Badge were issued by the Australian Government to members of the First Australian Imperial Force and the Royal Australian Navy who saw active service during World War I, returned to Australia and dishcarged honourably.

Returned from Active Service Badge

The Returned from Active Service Badge (RASB) was issued to members of the Australian Defence Force who were recipients of the Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 or the Australian Active Service Medal (AASM).

The RASB is the only campaign service badge awarded post-World War II. It is worn on the left lapel and only in civilian attire, to reflect that the recipient has been involved in warlike service. The brass badge has a serial number with a prefix denoting the member's service, and has been awarded since 1945 where the only change to its appearance has been the replacement of the King George VI's crown with that of the Queen Elizabeth's.

Unlike most awards, the RASB is not issued to deceased members or the next-of-kin, as the badge represents a return from the member's warlike service. The replacement of the AASM with the Operational Service Medal was announced in May 2012; as a result, the RASB has been retired with the AASM, with the Operational Service Badge filling the role of being a badge indicative of a members' warlike service.

Infantry Combat Badge

The Infantry Combat Badge (ICB) is awarded to serving members of the Australian Army for service as an Infantryman in warlike operations. Its equivalent for members operating with an Arms Corps Unit within a warlike area of operations is the Army Combat Badge.

History

The ICB was first established in July 1970 for recognition of infantry service in battle or on operations, following the decision of the Military Board in January 1970. The role of the infantry is to seek out and close with the enemy, to kill or capture him, to seize and to hold ground, to repel attack, by night and day, regardless of season, weather or terrain. The purpose of the ICB is to recognize this unique role and the particular training, skills and hardships attendant upon service as an infantryman. In exceptional circumstances, the ICB may be awarded to members of other corps, where they have qualified for it as infantrymen.

In January 1970, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Daly KBE, DSO, as the Chief of the General Staff and part of the Military Board, laid the original basis for the ICB. He is recorded in the minutes as saying, "whilst he appreciated the views expressed (in the Military Board), it was to be borne in mind that the proposed badge was meant to be a visible distinction for the infantryman and was not a general combat badge. He said the other corps had their responsibilities and neither their worth nor performance, were in question. However he could not accept that an infantry award should be granted to members of other corps unless they qualified for it as infantrymen."

The Army Combat Badge (ACB) was instituted in 2005 to recognise the unique service of a member operating with an Arms Corps Unit within a warlike area of operations.

Eligibility

Any member of the Australian Army who:

was on continuous full-time service as an infantryman at the time of deployment;
has given satisfactory service as an infantryman;
has served either a continuous or an aggregate of 90 days satisfactory service on warlike operations for a single deployment or operation; and
has not been previously issued the ICB.

Under exceptional circumstances, the Approval Authority may approve the issue of the ICB to members on exchange/attachment duties for service with allied units who meet the criteria, and/or to members who would have met the criteria had they not been killed, wounded, disabled or evacuated.

Army Combat Badge

The Army Combat Badge (ACB) is a military decoration that is awarded to any member of the Australian Defence Force for service with an Army combat element in warlike operations. It is issued to be worn when in uniform or when in civilian atire but with medals.

History

In 1970, the Infantry Combat Badge was instituted to recognise the service of Army personnel in battle or on operations; however, only personnel serving as infantry were eligible for the award. The Army Combat Badge (ACB) was instituted in 2005 to recognise the unique service of non infantry personnel operating with an Arms Corps unit within a warlike area of operations.

The decoration is one of the few awarded by Army Headquarters; the majority of other Australian military honours and awards are issued by the Directorate of Honours and Awards.

Eligibility

To be eligible to be issued the ACB, a member must have:

been force assigned to a combat team for a period of either a continuous or an aggregate of 90 days satisfactory service; or
been physically deployed in the same geographical location as a Combat Team and have a primary role to directly support that Combat Team for a period of either a continuous or an aggregate of 90 days satisfactory service.
been serving on warlike operations; and
not been previously issued the Infantry Combat Badge (ICB) or ACB.

Operational Service Badge

The Operational Service Badge (OSB) is issued to recipients of the Australian Operational Service Medal (AOSM). Just like the AOSM the OSB has two versions, military and civilian. Unlike the RASB it can be gifted to a deceased member's next-of-kin.

Military

The military version is a bronze badge featuring the defence force emblem of an anchor, crossed swords and a wedge-tailed eagle with wings outstretched combined above a boomerang and the words "operational service".

Civilian

The civilian version is also in bronze featuring the Australia Coat of Arms above the words "operational service".