The Afghanistan Medal was introduced in 2004 to recognise Australian involvement in military operations in Afghanistan and other prescribed areas within Operation Slipper, Operation Palate, and Operation Palate II.
The eligibility requirement is 30 days service or 30 sorties in the prescribed area after 11 October 2001.
Design
The medal is cupro-nickel with the Australian Coat of Arms on the obverse. The reverse shows a portion of a snow-capped mountain range with a multi-rayed sun rising behind the mountains. The mountains represent the dominant terrain of the country and the rising sun represents a new dawn for the nation. The word Afghanistan appears around the central device on the flan in English and in the Arabic script.
The ribbon is khaki representing the dominant ground colour of the terrain, edged with light blue and white stripes representing the sky above the mountains and the snow on the mountain peaks. Central stripes of purple and red represent the ADF and the conflict in Afghanistan.
Source documents
Letters Patent and Regulations (Gazette S422) of 22 October 2004 (PDF, 122.01 KB)