Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986

For the purposes of Parts III and VA and sections 85 and 118V, a person has rendered qualifying service:

if the person has, as a member of the Defence Force:

rendered service, during a period of hostilities specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of the definition of period of hostilities in subsection 5B(1), at sea, in the field or in the air in naval, military or aerial operations against the enemy in an area, or on an aircraft or ship of war, at a time when the person incurred danger from hostile forces of the enemy in that area or on that aircraft or ship; or

rendered service after 29 October 1945 in respect of which the person has been awarded, or has become eligible to be awarded, the Naval General Service Medal or the General Service Medal (Army and Royal Air Force) with the Minesweeping 1945‑51 Clasp, the Bomb‑Mine Clearance 1945‑53 Clasp, the Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945‑49 Clasp or the Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945‑56 Clasp; or

rendered service outside Australia in an area described in column 1 of Schedule 2 during the period specified in column 2 of that Schedule opposite to that description, as a member of a unit of the Defence Force that was allotted for duty, or as a person who was allotted for duty, in that area; or

rendered warlike service; or

rendered continuous full‑time service on submarine special operations, at some time in the period starting on 1 January 1978 and ending at the end of 12 May 1997, for which the person has been awarded, or has become eligible to be awarded, the Australian Service Medal with Clasp “SPECIAL OPS”; or

rendered continuous full‑time service on submarine special operations, at some time in the period starting on 1 January 1978 and ending at the end of 12 May 1997, for which the person would have been eligible to be awarded the Australian Service Medal with Clasp “SPECIAL OPS” if the person had not already been awarded it for other service; or

if, during a period of hostilities, the person has, as a member of the defence force established by a Commonwealth country, rendered, in connection with war or war‑like operations in which the Naval, Military or Air Forces of Australia were engaged:

service, in an area outside that country, at a time when the person incurred danger from hostile forces of the enemy in that area; or

service within that country, being service in respect of which the person has been awarded, or has become eligible to be awarded, a campaign medal; or

if the person is an allied veteran who, during a period of hostilities, has, as a member of the defence force established by an allied country, rendered, in connection with a war, or war‑like operations, in which the Naval, Military or Air Forces of Australia were engaged, service in an area within or outside the country in which the person enlisted in those forces, being service in respect of which the person incurred danger from hostile forces of the enemy; or

if the person was, during a period of hostilities specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of the definition of period of hostilities in subsection 5B(1), employed by the Commonwealth on a special mission outside Australia, and, in the course of carrying out that mission, incurred danger from hostile forces of the enemy; or

if the person is an eligible civilian within the meaning of subsection 5C(1) who was, during a period of hostilities specified in paragraph (b) of the definition of period of hostilities in subsection 5B(1), detained by the enemy; or

if the person is a person in respect of whom a pension is payable in pursuance of subsection 13(6); or

if the person is an Australian mariner as defined by subsection 5C(1) who, in the course of:

any service rendered by the person in employment of a kind specified in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (e) or (g) of that definition; or

any service rendered by the person as a pilot referred to in paragraph (d) of that definition; or

any service rendered by the person as a member or employee of the Commonwealth Salvage Board;

if the person is an allied mariner who, in the course of any service rendered by the person in employment of a kind to which paragraphs (a) and (b) of the definition of allied mariner in subsection 5C(1) applies:

was detained by the enemy; or

was in an area service in which would, if the person had been a member of the Defence Force, have entitled the person to the award of a campaign medal and incurred, while he or she was in that area, danger from hostile forces of the enemy.

For period of hostilities see subsection 5B(1) and for allotted for duty in an operational area see subsection 5B(2).

For allied mariner, allied veteran, Australian mariner, defence force established by a Commonwealth country, defence force established by an allied country, eligible civilian, enemy, member of a unit of the Defence Force, member of the Defence Force and special mission see subsection 5C(1).

In subparagraphs (1)(b)(ii) and (1)(h)(ii):

any of the following medals:

1939‑45 Star;

Atlantic Star;

Air Crew Europe Star;

Africa Star;

Pacific Star;

Burma Star;

Italy Star;

France and Germany Star; or

any other medal declared by the regulations to be a campaign medal in relation to service during that period.