TRADITION CORNER Commendations, Citations and Order of Wear

The Chief of Defence Force (CDF), Single Service Chiefs, Vice Chief of Defence Force (VCDF), Commander Joint Forces New Zealand (COMJFNZ), and senior Defence leaders at two-star level, can award commendations to members of their respective Service, in recognition of excellence and outstanding performance that would be unlikely to meet the criteria for a NZ State Honour. Commonwealth and foreign unit awards recognise exceptional performance by groups or organisations, and are awarded to specific military units. Examples include the Korean Presidential Unit Citation (16 Field Regiment), the United States Meritorious Unit Commendation (161 Battery), and the Australian Meritorious Unit Citation for service in East Timor (3 SQN, RNZAF).

In March 2022, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the Covid-19 Response Recognition Award, to recognise individuals and organisations who contributed to Aotearoa and the Government’s Covid-19 response. The CDF subsequently directed the insignia of the award be worn on NZDF uniform by eligible recipients until 30 June 2025.

Order of Wear and Versions of Dress

The order of wear for a single commendation ribbon/unit citation/Covid-19 insignia is on the right side of the uniform jacket or shirt. The award is placed centrally, 5mm above the flap of the right breast pocket, or in an equivalent position for servicewomen. If a name-tag is worn, the award is placed centrally 5mm above the name-tag. For personnel entitled to wear multiple commendations/ citations, the senior commendation is to be worn closest to the centreline of the jacket/shirt, and no more than three ribbons are to be placed in a row. The hierarchy of wear is as follows:

• Life Saving Awards of the Order of Saint John and the Royal Humane Society of NZ

• CDF Commendation

• CA Commendation (or other single service award)

• Covid-19 Response Recognition Award

• Commonwealth Unit Citation

• Foreign Unit Citation For Army, commendations, unit citations and the Covid-19 insignia are to be worn by entitled personnel with all versions of:

• Dress 1 Service (A–E);

• Dress 2 Mess (19mm above the crown of the right side collar dog);

• Dress 5 Formal (Steward);

• Dress 7 Patrol Reds (NZ Army Band and OCS); and

• Dress 8E Ceremonial (Highland).

References

Further information regarding the Order of Wear for honours, medals, awards and commendations can be found in the following references:

NZDF Wearing of Medals at this link http://medals.nzdf.dixs.mil. nz/info/orderofwear.html

• DFO 6, Part 1, Chap 10, Wearing of Orders, Decorations, Medals and Commendations

• NZ P23, Part 2, Chap 2, Sect 2, Orders of Dress