Fury at awards for deskchair leaders as diggers ditched

Mark Donaldson was awarded the first Victoria Cross medal since the Vietnam War.

Veterans are warning military medals are being devalued, with commanders expecting a decoration for doing their job rather than anything extraordinary.

The military honours system has come under renewed scrutiny after the Defence Minister revoked the medals and citations of up to nine officers linked to units accused of war crimes in Afghanistan.

One anonymous special forces patrol commander, with over 20 years of service, expressed frustration with the inconsistencies in how awards were distributed and the criteria for receiving them. He recounted being shot and wounded in battle alongside Mark Donaldson, the recipient of Australia’s first Victoria Cross since the Vietnam War. Despite a former army chief recommending the commander for a Star of Gallantry, he received no such recognition. Meanwhile, senior officers, who were not directly involved in combat, were commended.

“Was their leadership and command from behind a desk more deserving of a medal than my leadership, command, self-sacrifice, and gallantry in a significant ground battle?” the soldier questioned in a statement.

His account forms part of a submission by the Australian SAS Association to a Senate inquiry examining the Defence honours and awards system. The association argues that the current system is flawed, often overlooking those who risked their lives in combat in favour of senior officers who were distant from the battlefield. This, they claim, undermines the value of military awards.

The association has called for a comprehensive review of all recorded acts of gallantry from the beginning of the Afghanistan conflict. They also criticized the quota system, which they believe has led to some commendable acts going unrecognized.

“There should be no quota on recognising acts of gallantry,” the submission stated, adding that many SAS veterans feel their brave and dedicated service has been undervalued.

The association highlighted numerous examples of veterans who served multiple tours in East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan—some up to 15 times—without receiving individual honours, while others received medals after a single deployment. This disparity, they suggest, may be due to personal biases, poor submissions, or a lack of proper consideration.

“It is unacceptable that an officer far removed from the action can override the recommendation of two senior officers who witnessed the act of gallantry firsthand,” the submission argued.

The Senate inquiry, originally scheduled to report by November 28, may be extended due to the controversy surrounding the Defence Minister’s decision to strip some Afghanistan commanders of their awards.