Soldiers from the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, (Queensland Mounted Infantry), leave hotel quarantine in Brisbane after supporting Operation COVID-19 Assist in Victoria for 10 weeks. Photo by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

Rumours re Op COVID-19 Assist medal

11/02/202111/02/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 9965 Views 2 Comments COVID-19

Dear Editor,

there is a lot of rumors going around about ADF members assigned to COVID ASSIST may get the National Emergency Medal.

Have you heard if this might be true, and what the criteria of service is – i.e. 28 days assigned to JTF629?

Thank you in advance.

Rodger T, via email.

Hi Rodger,

That rumour (which I haven’t heard, but am not surprised by) will remain a rumour until Op COVID-19 Assist is actually declared a qualifying national emergency by the National Emergency Medal Committee and/or on the recommendation of the GG.

If it is declared, it’s probably not likely to happen for probably a year (but maximum three years) after the operation has finished.

When or if it is declared, the minimum duration of service and other qualifying criteria will be determined by the National Emergency Medal Committee at that time.

28 days might be a good figure for the purposes of rumours, but that actual number is not specified in the legislation – so, it could be shorter, but more likely longer, in my opinion, for COVID-19 Assist (because the op ran for so long).

There’s absolutely no point to speculating or rumouring about this until the Op is actually ended and then not until the GG recommends it.

In my humble opinion,

Brian Hartigan
Managing Editor
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FILE PHOTO: Soldiers from the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, (Queensland Mounted Infantry), leave hotel quarantine in Brisbane after supporting Operation COVID-19 Assist in Victoria for 10 weeks. Photo by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

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