Campaign Medals – NZ General Service Medal 1992

Campaign or service medals are awarded to those who serve in specified campaigns or military operations. They recognise general military service in war (in contrast to Decorations which are issued for acts of heroism and bravery). The New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 was instituted to recognise operational service for which no other medals were issued. They were issued in two forms: one in silver for warlike service and one in bronze for non-warlike humanitarian and peacekeeping operations.

Clasps show the operational area served in: four were issued for the Warlike medal and thirteen for the Non-Warlike. Those issued to New Zealand naval personnel for the Warlike medal include the Kuwait clasp – only ten were issued to the naval members of the medical team who served in Saudi Arabia from 1990-91 – and the Near East clasp issued to those who served in operations off the Egyptian coast in late 1956 and did not qualify for the Naval General Service Medal (1915) ‘Near East’ clasp. Clasps for the Non-Warlike medal issued to RNZN personnel include the Sinai clasp, which was issued to those deployed with the Multi-National Force and Observers in the Sinai from 1982 onward; and the Iraq clasp, issued to the Naval Medical team who took part in the UN Special Commission on Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction from August 1991.