Advice for Lateral Recruits, Secondments, and Exchanges

Lateral recruits must receive permission in writing from the designated authority before they may wear any medals awarded while serving in another country's military on the NZDF uniform.

If you were allowed to wear a particular medal on your previous Commonwealth military uniform, permission is usually granted to wear the medal on the NZDF uniform.  Campaign medals that are approved for wear are worn in the same order of wear as listed above.

If a medal was not permitted on a Commonwealth military uniform, permission will not be granted to wear that medal on NZDF uniform.  NZDF will respect the medallic decisions of the governments of Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and His Majesty the King of each country.  For example, the NATO Medal ISAF is not permitted to wear on United Kingdom military uniforms.  Consequently, permission will not be granted to wear this medal on the NZDF uniform if it was awarded while serving with the United Kingdom military.

United Kingdom long service awards are worn in a position comparable to but following the equivalent New Zealand long service award.

For further information, see  Advice on Commonwealth and Foreign Awards(external link)