History

The Humanitarian Overseas Medal is conferred upon members of charitable organisations and humanitarian groups who provide overseas humanitarian aid.

In order to receive this Medal, potential recipients must have served with a United Nations task force or an organisation that is recognised by the UN. With this organisation, the individual has to have rendered at least 30 days of humanitarian work in a designated location. The required amount of time may differ between the areas of aid.

Until 2005, the Medal was strictly awarded to civilians, but after the earthquake in Pakistan, Australian Defence Force personnel became eligible to receive the Medal. At the same time, special award criteria were introduced for individuals who rendered humanitarian aid during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the 2005 Nias-Simeulue earthquake.

Although recipients are only eligible to receive one Medal, they may receive clasps for every operational region they have served in (as long as they meet the requirements). The following is a list of the approved clasps: Afghanistan, Balkans, British Columbia, Cambodia, Christchurch, East Timor, Great Lakes (Africa), Haiti, Indian Ocean, Iraq, Japan, Mozambique, Northern Iraq, Pakistan, Pakistan II, Samoa, Somalia, South Sudan, South Vietnam, and Ukraine.

The obverse of the medal features a eucalyptus tree encircled by a ring of gum nuts, the fruit of the Eucalyptus tree. The reverse of the medal has a blank space for the recipient’s name, which is surrounded by the inscription ‘FOR OVERSEAS HUMANITARIAN SERVICE’. The reverse of the medal also features a ring of gum nuts. The ribbon is green with a golden yellow stripe down the middle.