Veteran’s service is finally recognised

TASMANIAN Robert Patterson says being awarded an Australian Service Medal provides important recognition of his overseas deployment during a historic peacekeeping operation.

The retired lieutenant colonel was this week told of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal’s decision to grant him the Australian military decoration, which recognises prescribed service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations.

The medal symbolises his deployment to Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, on two occasions in 1998 during Operation BEL ISI. Deployed as a health officer, Mr Patterson discovered a vital Bougainville water supply had become contaminated after it was connected to a polluted river.

After applying for the Australian Service Medal two years after his deployment, Mr Patterson was told he was ineligible for the honour because authorities could not confirm that his deployment was for at least 30 days – a condition of the award.

He said a six-month investigation identified records confirming his 30-day deployment.

The research was done by the Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal – the same board which found World War II veteran Teddy Sheean worthy of the Victoria Cross.

Asked what the honour meant to him, Mr Patterson said “it means everything”.

“I had no acknowledgment of my time in Bougainville until now. It wasn’t a very good operation as it was a highly hazardous and dangerous area, so the recognition is very special,” he said.

Mr Patterson also said the award highlighted the importance of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal.