UK Armed Forces Veterans Lapel Badge

[daftandbarmy]

To be worn on blue blazer, shoulders adorned with copious quantities of dandruff...



UK Armed Forces Veterans Lapel Badge

For generations our Armed Forces have served their country across the world in many roles from war fighting, peacekeeping and reconstruction to home defence. In so doing, they have defended our country, our way of life and our cherished values. A large number of our veterans are young and active and now use the skills, the discipline and the leadership qualities they learned in the Armed Forces to benefit their civilian employers and the wider community. The Ministry of Defence Strategy for Veterans highlights that because of all this it is important to focus on supporting veterans of all ages, by celebrating, and raising public awareness of, their achievements and their contribution to society. To promote recognition of veterans by the wider British public the unique and unifying symbol of the HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge was introduced.


The UK Armed Forces Veterans’ Lapel Badge was launched in May 2004 by the Minister of Veterans, to raise the profile of veterans by assisting the wider public to recognise them. The first veterans badge was issued to Lord Healy, a veteran of the Battle for Monte Cassino, on 10 May 2004, which initiated the roll out of the badge to the Second World War veteran generation. Since then eligibility to apply for the badge has been extended in sequential phases to all veterans. This has now closed the gap between those who apply for their badge and those who receive it automatically on leaving the Services.

The badge is an enamelled, engraved, and pinned, lapel badge featuring the words “HM Armed Forces – Veteran”, which encompass the Tri-Service, Anchor, Crossed Swords and Eagle motif. Its symbolism is intended to unite all veterans in recognising the commonality of their service, to encourage a sense of unity and community between surviving veterans and to ignite public recognition of current veterans and their continuing contribution to society.
Eligibility

Criteria
All those who have served in HM Armed Forces.

Exceptions
Veterans who served in Armed Forces of other Countries and those who served alongside HM Armed Forces are not eligible (e. g. Canadian Navy or Royal Australian Air Force).

Posthumous requests
The badge is a survivors badge and therefore is not issued posthumously.
The only exceptions are War Widows and Widowers who are in receipt of a War Widows/Widowers Pension paid by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency. This is in recognition of the fact that their death was due to their military service.
DQ Graham to provide word around the term survivors

How to apply
You can apply by any of the following methods:
Click on one of the links below to access the application form.

How to apply

You can apply by any of the following methods:
Click on one of the links below to access the application form.

Application Forms
Acrobat Reader Version
Microsoft Word Version
Rich Text Format (.rtf)
Please ensure you complete the form as fully as possible.

You may post or fax your completed form to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency.

Another option is to download the form, complete it electronically, save the form and return to the
Service Personnel and Veterans Agency by email.

If you wish, you may call the Freephone number to apply. Please ensure you have to hand all the details asked for on the application form.



http://www.veterans-uk.info/vets_badge/vets_badge.htm

 

[1feral1]

We have someting similar here in Australia, called the RAS (Returned from Active Service) badge. One must have seen active service to obtain one, that being deployed into a theatre of operations in warlike conditions.

The badge has not changed much since 1945, shy of the Queen's crown.

 

[daftandbarmy]

We have someting similar here in Australia, called the RAS (Returned from Active Service) badge. One must have seen active service to obtain one, that being deployed into a theatre of operations in warlike conditions.

The badge has not changed much since 1945, shy of the Queen's crown.

Is it for retired personnel only, or do serving members wear it on their uniforms?

 

[1feral1]

Its worn on civvy attire, serving or retired.

 

[Ex-Pat FlagWagger]

Is it for retired personnel only, or do serving members wear it on their uniforms?

Intended for retired personnel - I also understand that its given to serving personnel as they retire. One general observation, there doesn't seem to be any checks on the issue of this pin; I completed my form and faxed it off and left the paperwork on my desk - my wife then picked up the completed form and put it in the mail with the end result that I received two pins in the mail both as a result of the same application form!

 

[daftandbarmy]

Excellent. You can put one in each pierced ear! ;D

 

[Ex-Pat FlagWagger]

Excellent. You can put one in each pierced ear! ;D

Thanks for clearing that up; at least in the ears they're visible, I wasn't looking forward the stereo nipple piercing that had been suggested elsewhere  and piercings anywhere else were even more :'( eye-watering :'( to contemplate 

 

[Towards_the_gap]

Has there been any word on when it will be issued to those who served post-1994???

 

[Ex-Pat FlagWagger]

Has there been any word on when it will be issued to those who served post-1994???

All can now apply, irrespective of dates of service - see http://www.veterans-uk.info/vets_badge/vets_badge.htm for details and application bumf

 

[dodger39]

Intended for retired personnel - I also understand that its given to serving personnel as they retire. One general observation, there doesn't seem to be any checks on the issue of this pin; I completed my form and faxed it off and left the paperwork on my desk - my wife then picked up the completed form and put it in the mail with the end result that I received two pins in the mail both as a result of the same application form!

The Aussie Returned from Active Service Badge (RAS) Is issued as soon as a person returns from active service. It is worn with civilian attire only.Each badge is numbered. It is only issued to persons on retirement if there has been a foul up on paperwork (which happens frequently) and it hadn't been issued when the person initially returned from active service. It can only be worn by the person it was awarded to. A person MUST have done active service to receive it. This is in stark contrast to the UK Veterans Badge, which is issued to all persons who served in HM Armed Forces, active service is not neccessary to receive it.

Just a point on your description of it Flagstaffer, it is not a pin, it is a badge. ( I know, I'm being to technical)

 

[1feral1]

The Aussie Returned from Active Service Badge (RAS) Is issued as soon as a person returns from active service. It is worn with civilian attire only.Each badge is numbered.

Hey mate, the RAS badges are no longer numbered, just say 'manufactured for the Australian Gov't' now. I got mine in 2007 on my Medals Pde in Baghdad, in a little immitation leather pouch with the Coat of Arms on it.

Sadly one can go to many medal mounting places (or go the INet) and buy a reproduction RAS badge. Unless you have a real one to compare, they look identical.

We all know in our Lucky Country, there is plenty of posers. Unfortunatly a fac tof life.

Cheers,

OWDU

 

[dodger39]

Glad you told me that about them not being numbered, I was unaware they'd stopped doing it.I was quoting actually from mine, but that was issued way back in the Vietnam days. Actually got two, one for each tour I did. Lost one of them unfortunately.

Your comments re wannabees or posers is so sadly true. There are far too many pretending to be something their not. Caught one out in the little town I live, he steers well clear of vets now.

 

[dodger39]

Hey mate, the RAS badges are no longer numbered, just say 'manufactured for the Australian Gov't' now. I got mine in 2007 on my Medals Pde in Baghdad, in a little immitation leather pouch with the Coat of Arms on it.

Sadly one can go to many medal mounting places (or go the INet) and buy a reproduction RAS badge. Unless you have a real one to compare, they look identical.

We all know in our Lucky Country, there is plenty of posers. Unfortunatly a fac tof life.

Cheers,

OWDU

As you only got yours last year, you may be able to answer a question for me. When you received it, were there any instructions as where to wear it on your jacket. i.e. left lapel or right lapel.






[/quote]

 

[1feral1]

As you only got yours last year, you may be able to answer a question for me. When you received it, were there any instructions as where to wear it on your jacket. i.e. left lapel or right lapel.

Nope nothing came with it. perhaps ASODs?

We have been wearing them on the left lapel. Also the ACB/ICB above our medals 10mm on the left breast with civvies.

Cheers,

OWDU

 

[dodger39]

Thanks, the reason I asked, some retired half colonel had a go at a bloke who was wearing his RAS on the left lapel and told him it should be worn on the right lapel. Same as you, I've always worn it on the left and I've never ever seen anyone wearing it on the right. Spent a couple of hours searching the net yesterday, plenty of references to the RAS, but nowhere can I find any regulation or protocol for the actual place you wear it. By the way, the half colonel was told where to go, not very politely either.

 

[Raven22]

Hey mate, the RAS badges are no longer numbered, just say 'manufactured for the Australian Gov't' now. I got mine in 2007 on my Medals Pde in Baghdad, in a little immitation leather pouch with the Coat of Arms on it.

Strange, I only got my ACB this year and it is numbered, around 60 000-odd from memory. Everone else who got one when I did has a numbered one as well. Either they started it up again recently, I was issued an old one, or you got a wierd one.

 

[geo]

UK armed forces veterans lapel badge sounds like something similar to the CF's own service pin - which is "issued" to CF members in posession of a CD upon their retirement... The CF variant comes in Bronze, Silver & Gold colours - depending on 12+, 22+ or 32+ years of service.

 

[dodger39]

Raven 22, We were talking about the Returned From Active Service Badge being numbered, not the ACB. My ACB is not numbered but my RAS is. 
I thought it was rather strange when it was said the RAS weren't numbered now, so I checked a bit further. The people who manufacture and supply  the Returned from Active Service Badge to the Dept of Defense are
Cash's (aust)Pty Ltd  at their
Frankston Metals Factory
17 Tooyal St
Frankston VIC 3199

I phoned them and asked if they were numbered and was told by their production manager that each Returned from Active Service Badge is individually numbered in numerical sequence.

 

[Raven22]

Whoops, I was talking about the RAS badge as well. Must have slipped in ACB by mistake. All these TLAs must be getting the better of me.

 

[dodger39]

Geez, been a lot of RAS badges issued since I got mine (1968).I actually got 2, one for each tour, probably some one stuffed up, lost the second one. Let's face it though, I don't need 2. The one I have now is numbered A426440.

I