The Police Overseas Service Medal is a prestigious Australian award, honouring brave police officers who demonstrate professionalism, dedication, and courage while serving in perilous conditions abroad. Read more..
This medal is always awarded with a clasp. Please add the required clasp to your cart.
The Police Overseas Service Medal is a respected Australian medal, awarded by the Governor-General. It acknowledges the valuable contributions and service of Australian police officers who serve overseas in hazardous situations or conditions, assisting in peacekeeping and capacity building initiatives. The award serves to recognize the professionalism, dedication, and courage demonstrated by these officers in challenging environments.
Clasps
The POSM is always awarded with a clasp to denote the area where it was earned. Additional awards to the same person are in the form of another clasp. Nineteen clasps have been awarded so far, including but not limited to:
Design
This distinctive 38-millimeter-diameter medal is made from nickel-silver. The obverse of the medal features a globe surmounted by a sprig of wattle. Along the rim is a chequerboard pattern, symbolising police forces around the world. The reverse of the medal displays the Federation Star, surrounded with the words "POLICE OVERSEAS SERVICE MEDAL". A central plaque is traditionally engraved with the recipients name, however copies are engraved with "REPLICA".
Ribbon
The ribbon is a black and white chequerboard pattern.
If you order your medal unmounted, the medal and ribbon will be supplied as separate components. Miniature medals will be supplied with 15cm of ribbon and full size medals will be supplied with 30cm of ribbon.
The court mounting of medals involves securing medals to a stiff backing board, along with the placement of a brooch fitting on the board. This ensures that the medals remain firmly in place and do not shift or move about while being worn.
It is mandatory for active members of the Australian Defence Force to have their medals court mounted, as it is considered the appropriate method of presenting military honours in a professional and respectful manner. By doing so, the medals are given proper recognition and are displayed in a neat and organized fashion.The swing mounting of medals refers to the attachment of a medal to a ribbon that is allowed to hang freely from a brooch, which in turn is affixed to a uniform or clothing. This mounting style was commonly used for medals from the Boer War up to and including World War II, although there are no fixed guidelines or regulations regarding its use.
Miniature Court Mounted medals are mounted using the same method as Full size medals, yet they are typically worn to ceremonies were wearing full size medals would be impractical. These medals are commonly worn to all ceremonies that take place after 6 pm such as dinners.
Miniature Swing Mounted medals are mounted using the same method as Full size medals, yet they are typically worn to ceremonies were wearing full size medals would be impractical. These medals are commonly worn to all ceremonies that take place after 6 pm such as dinners.
A ribbon bar is a small, rectangular display of ribbons worn on military uniforms to represent various honours and awards earned by the wearer. These ribbons are arranged in a specific order and are attached to a backing, which is then attached to the uniform. Ribbon bars are a compact and convenient way for military personnel to display their achievements and are often used in situations where a full-sized medal or award would be impractical.
