History

This Medal was established on 20 April 1982 and is awarded to Officers who have rendered 15 years of commissioned service in the Australian Reserve Forces. In order to qualify for the Decoration, the Officer had to have begun their service on or after 14 February 1975 and had to have completed their service by 20 April 1999. A maximum of 3 years with the Permanent Forces of the Australian Defence Force may count towards this medal.

Claps are issued for every 5 additional years of commissioned service with the Reserve Force. Although the Reserve Force Decoration was replaced by the Defence Long Service Medal in 1998, the clasps for the Reserve Force Decoration are still awarded.

The oblong medal features a silver-coloured Joint Service Emblem on the obverse. The reverse of the medal is has a blank space for the recipient’s name and features the inscription ‘FOR EFFICIENT SERVICE IN THE RESERVE FORCES’ around the rim. The obverse and reverse of the medal features a golden wreath of wattle. The Crown of St. Edward surmounts the medal and attaches to a ribbon suspension bar. The ribbon is dark blue with a gold stripe down the centre.

Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters 'RFD'.