Recognition
Apply for medals
The NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals (PAM) team is responsible for issuing war, operational, and service medals to current and former members of the New Zealand Defence Force. Within the limits of the Privacy Act 2020, we can also provide guidance on medal entitlements and help you find out what medals have already been issued.
Submitting an application
- For yourself
- On behalf of someone else
Information & evidence you will need
- Your full name and date of birth
- Your service number (if known)
- The branch you served in (Navy, Army, or Air Force)
- Approximate dates of your service
- Any deployments, operations, or campaign involvement
Processing times and things to know
We are committed to responding to all requests as promptly as possible. However, timeframes may vary depending on the volume of enquiries and the complexity of each request. Processing time for applications for ex-serving personnel may take up to 12 months.
We’ll contact you if we need more information. Please be aware that only one original issue of medals is provided. If you’ve previously received your medals, you may need to apply for replacements instead.
Cost
- There is no cost to apply for or receive previously unclaimed medals. However, if your request involves significant research under the Official Information Act, a charge may apply. We’ll let you know before any costs are incurred.
- Replacement medals are only available during the lifetime of current and former NZDF service members. The applicant must cover the cost, and the Personnel Archives and Medals team will provide a quote once your request has been received.
- NZDF does not provide replica medals. Only one original issue is available per person. Miniatures or duplicates can be purchased from licensed medal dealers.