Transcript 17th Gurkha Division 7/1/2007 © Copyright. All rights reserved. New Zealand Viet Nam Service Memorandum of Understanding Double Medalling Inequity Presented by Victor Johnson NZ Defence Force.

17th Gurkha Division
7/1/2007
© Copyright. All rights reserved.
New Zealand Viet Nam Service
Memorandum of Understanding
Double Medalling Inequity
Presented by Victor Johnson
NZ Defence Force 1st Battalion RNZIR campaign veteran of:
Malaya/Thai Border | Malay Peninsula | Borneo | South Viet Nam
5 June 2007
Joint Working Group Report
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Following the Health Select Committee reporting back to
Parliament, a Joint Working Group [JWG] was established in
2005, for the purpose of recommending to Government, for its
consideration, a package of actions and procedures to address
the health and well-being needs of Viet Nam Veterans and their
families and to develop a historical record of New Zealander's
service in Viet Nam.
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The group report was submitted to the New Zealand government
in April 2006, in which Chapter 2.0 acknowledged the past and
included the topic 2.2 Medallic Recognition
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Presentation Purpose
The purpose of this presentation is to present that:
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double medalling for a single campaign and,
probability of a medallic inequality
is occurring with implementation of the New Zealand
Government’s recent proposition to amend the award Regulation
for the New Zealand General Service Medal [Warlike] 1992, as
proposed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 6
December 2006.
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‘Distinct’ New Zealand Medal
The JWG report stated that within the consultation process a
wide range of views were heard on a “distinctly New Zealand
medal” for service in Viet Nam.
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To some Viet Nam veterans a distinctly New Zealand medal for
service in South Viet Nam was very important, to some it
mattered less than other things, and some thought it mattered
hardly at all. Those who thought a New Zealand medal important
held their view with extraordinary passion. The JWG report
recommended that:
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‘the case for a distinct national campaign medal for active service
in the Viet Nam War be accepted in principle; and that the
Honours Secretariat and the NZ Defence Force should now
develop a suitable proposal, in consultation with veterans’
groups.’
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Medallic Recognition Submissions
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Given that there were 287 identified Viet Nam veterans who
made submissions to the Joint Working Group, analysis of
records show that medallic recognition came from 18%, being
about 52 persons of the total 3256 who served in South
Vietnam. The percentage being 0.0055%, about one half of a
percent of all who served
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With approximately 600 deceased the percentage of the
surviving 2600+ veterans wanting a distinct New Zealand medal
for Viet Nam service equates to less than 0.0069%
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Current NZ Vietnam Medal
The Vietnam Medal was instituted in 1968, as a ‘distinct’ medal for
award to New Zealanders who served in the Vietnam War.
The New Zealand and Australia governments jointly developed
and instituted the Vietnam Medal, with a separate Royal Warrant
for each country.
Figure 1 shows the Vietnam Medal.
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Current ‘Distinct’ New Zealand
Campaign Medal
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A current ‘distinctly’ New Zealand medal for military campaign
service is New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike)
[NZGSM].
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The NZGSM (Warlike) medal was instituted in 1992, and issued
in silver to recognise service in warlike operations for which no
separate New Zealand or British Commonwealth campaign
medal was issued.
Figure 2 shows the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992
(Warlike)
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NZGSM 1992 [Warlike] Clasps
By the time the NZGSM 1992 [Warlike) was replaced in 2002, four
clasps had been issued for warlike operations between 1956 and
1991. The clasps are:
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NEAR EAST
MALAYA 1960-64
VIETNAM
KUWAIT
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NZGSM 1992 [Warlike]
Eligibility Exclusion Clause
As a generic medal, the NZGSM 1992 [Warlike] was awarded
under Royal Warrant for service in South Viet Nam with an
exclusion clause for eligibility.
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The exclusion clause states that a person shall not receive
the award if his or her qualifying service was completed
wholly between 1 December 1962 and 27 January 1973 and
was recognised by the award of the Vietnam Medal.
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Current Viet Nam Medals
The current medallic recognition awarded to New Zealand
military service personnel, with appropriate qualifying service in
South Viet Nam, include the:
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New Zealand Operational Service Medal
Vietnam Medal
Republic of South Vietnam Campaign Medal
Figure 3 shows the current medals for service
in Viet Nam
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Medallic Awards for Service in
Malaysia 1960-1964
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During the 1960’s, the New Zealand Defence Force had
personnel with previous service in campaigns such as the:
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Korea War
Malayan Emergency
Malaya and Thailand Border operations, against communist
guerillas
Malay Peninsula, against Indonesian regular military forces
Borneo, against Indonesian regular military forces
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Malaya/Viet Nam Veteran
At least 10 percent or more personnel that served in Viet Nam
were subsequently awarded the New Zealand General Service
Medal 1992 [Warlike] with the clasp MALAYA 1960-64 for active
service on the Malay/Thailand border.
For example, the infantry battalion that served in Malaysia from
1963 to 1965 had 981 personnel. Approximately 300 of those
personnel also served later in Viet Nam.
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Malaya/Vietnam Medals
New Zealand Defence personnel who served in Malaysia from
1961 to 1965, followed by service in South Vietnam could have
been awarded medals that include:
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The New Zealand Operational Service Medal
The New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 [Warlike] with clasp MALAYA 196064
The General Service Medal 1962- with clasps MALAY PENINSULA – BORNEO,
The Vietnam Campaign Medal
Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal
The Republic of South Vietnam Campaign Medal
Figure 4 shows the medals group for service
in Malaya and Viet Nam
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Memorandum of Understanding
As a consequence to the JWG report, group representatives
from two military veteran organisations negotiated a
Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] with Government,
which is not legally binding on any of the parties.
Sub-clause 5.2 addresses the subject of further medallic
recognition for service in South Vietnam. The clause reads:
‘The Crown will sympathetically consider medallic recognition
for Viet Nam veterans based on the submission received from
the RSA to extend eligibility of the New Zealand General
Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) with clasp “Vietnam” to those
Viet Nam Veterans who are currently eligible for the Vietnam
Medal 1964.
Figure 5 shows the NZGSM 1992 [Warlike]
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Cabinet Papers on Medals
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Within the Cabinet papers received following a request under
the Official Information Act, the subject of double medalling
probability is addressed.
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Reference was made to the fact that the Royal Warrant for the
Vietnam Medal states:
“WHEREAS We have given consideration to the need for
recognition of the service of members of the New Zealand
Armed Forces and by duly accredited members of approved
philanthropic organisations serving with these forces in
assisting the forces of the Republic of Vietnam to repel
aggression;..”
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The above is deemed as the authority for the ‘distinctly’ New
Zealand medal for service in South Vietnam, being the Vietnam
Medal.
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NZGSM 1992 [Warlike]
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The subject of double medalling and inequity arises in relation
to the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 [Warlike] being
recommended within the Memorandum of Understanding as a
new award for service in Vietnam.
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Many Campaign Medals are awarded for service in very wide
geographical areas. Service in a specific operation within the
wider campaign area is often recognised by the award of a
clasp engraved with the name of the specific area or activity.
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An example is the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992
(Warlike) with four clasps;
Near East
Malaya 1960-64
Vietnam
Kuwait.
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Double Medalling Inequity
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A factor of ‘double’ medalling is the inequity for many who have
served in campaigns where no ‘distinct’ New Zealand medallic
recognition has been awarded.
The campaigns include the:
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Korea War
Malayan Emergency campaign
Malay Peninsula campaign
Borneo campaign
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Another ‘Distinct’ Award
In creating a ‘distinct’ New Zealand medallic award for the
Vietnam campaign it is most likely that another ‘distinct’ New
Zealand medallic award for Vietnam will be seen as inequitable
by veterans of the following campaigns.
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Korea War
Malayan Emergency campaign
Malay Peninsula campaign
Borneo campaign
Those who served in the above campaigns were awarded
medals of British, Commonwealth, or United Nation origin. At
the time, the medals were considered adequate recognition for
service in each of the campaigns for which no distinct New
Zealand medal has ever been awarded.
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Update on ‘Distinct’ NZ Medal
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Update on MoU Implementation as at 29 June 2007, item 4,
reference Section 5.2] NZ-specific Viet Nam Campaign Medal
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Current Situation:
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Cabinet approval given
Comment:
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Royal assent being sought
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Questions?
7/1/2007
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