Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal | |
---|---|
![]() Obverse of the medal | |
Type | Long service medal |
Awarded for | 10 years' qualifying service |
Presented by | ![]() |
Eligibility | All members of the Reserves of all of the branches of the British Armed Forces |
Clasps | for each additional 5 years service |
Established | 1 April 1999 |
![]() Standard ribbon bar ![]() Honourable Artillery Company ribbon | |
Order of Wear | |
Next (higher) | Air Efficiency Award[1] |
Next (lower) | Ulster Defence Regiment Medal[1] |
Related | Reserve Decoration, Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Territorial Decoration, Efficiency Medal (Territorial), Air Efficiency Award |
The Volunteer Reserves Service Medal (VRSM) is a medal which may be awarded to members of the Volunteer Reserves of all branches of the British Armed Forces - the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. It replaced the separate decorations and medals awarded respectively to officers and other ranks in each of the services - the Royal Navy's Reserve Decoration and Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, the British Army's Territorial Decoration and Efficiency Medal, and the Royal Air Force's Air Efficiency Award - from 1 April 1999.
Description
The medal is a silver oval, 38mm high and 32mm wide. The obverse depicts an image of the monarch. The reverse has the words, in five lines, FOR SERVICE IN THE VOLUNTEER RESERVES, above a sprig of oak leaves and acorns. The medal is suspended from a ribbon that represents each of the services with narrow stripes of dark blue, scarlet and light blue in the centre (for the Navy, Army and Air Force, respectively) separated by a thin strip of yellow from dark green bands (representing the Reserves) at each edge.[2] Members of the Honourable Artillery Company receive the same medal but with their ribbon.[3]
Criteria
The VRSM is awarded after 10 years of qualifying service in the Volunteer Reserves, although service in the Regular forces before joining the Reserves may count towards the qualifying period. However, a maximum of five years of regular service can be counted and this service is counted as half qualifying time. A clasp is awarded for each additional 5 years service.[2]
"VR" post-nominal letters
It was announced on 26 March 2015 by the Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, that Volunteer Reservists may use the post-nominal letters "VR" after 10 years' service, back-dated to 1999. As the post-nominal recognition is available after a straight 10 years' service, reservists may find themselves entitled to use "VR" before the qualifying period and eligibility criteria for the VRSM have been achieved. The VRSM and the post-nominals VR are therefore not directly connected.[4]
The postnominals "VR" should follow the post-nominal letters denoting the grant of any state Honour or decoration, or educational or professional qualification.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3353.
- ^ a b "Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- ^ Mackay, James; Mussell, John W; Editorial Team of MEDAL NEWS, eds. (2004). The Medal Yearbook 2004. Devon, UK: Token Publishing Ltd. p. 221. ISBN 9781870192620.
- ^ Ministry of Defence (26 March 2015). "New recognition for Reserve and Regular military service". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
- ^ JSP 761 Pt 1 (V5.0 Oct 16): Ministry of Defence. Chapter 5, Paragraph 17
External links
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meritorious
and long
service medals
Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (Australia)
Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
Meritorious Service Medal (Natal)
Meritorious Service Medal (New Zealand)
Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa)
Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)
Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military)
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa)
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830)
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848)
Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)
Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)
Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Ulster Defence Regiment)
Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Indian Army)
Royal West African Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
King's African Rifles Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Trans-Jordan Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army)
service medals
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
African Police Medal for Meritorious Service
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal
Ceylon Police Long Service Medal
Ceylon Fire Services Long Service Medal
Sierra Leone Police Long Service Medal
Colonial Police Long Service Medal
Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Long Service Medal
Mauritius Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Mauritius Fire Services Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Mauritius Prisons Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Colonial Fire Brigades Long Service Medal
Colonial Prison Service Medal
Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal
Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal
Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Ulster Constabulary Service Medal
Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal
National Crime Agency Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Police Service of Northern Ireland Service Medal
Border Force and Immigration Enforcement Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
and part-time
long service
decorations
and medals
Emergency Reserve Decoration
Volunteer Officers' Decoration
Volunteer Long Service Medal
Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies
Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
Militia Long Service Medal
Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal
Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Territorial Decoration
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
Efficiency Decoration
Territorial Force Efficiency Medal
Territorial Efficiency Medal
Efficiency Medal
Army Emergency Reserve Efficiency Medal
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Wireless Auxiliary Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Long Service Medal
Air Efficiency Award
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
Ulster Defence Regiment Medal
Northern Ireland Home Service Medal
Cadet Forces Medal
H.M. Coastguard Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Special Constabulary Long Service Medal
Royal Observer Corps Medal
Civil Defence Long Service Medal
Jersey Honorary Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Service Medal of the Order of St John
Voluntary Medical Service Medal
Women's Royal Voluntary Service Medal
South African Medal for War Services
Colonial Special Constabulary Medal