View source for Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)

{{EngvarB|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox Military Award
|name=Distinguished Service Cross
|image=[[Image:Australian Distinguished Service Cross.png|110px]]<br/><br/>[[File:DSC (Australia) ribbon.png|90px]]
|caption=
|presenter=Australia
|type= Medal
|eligibility= Members of the [[Australian Defence Force]]
|awarded_for= Distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations
|status= Currently awarded
|description=
|clasps=
|post-nominals= DSC
|established=1991
|firstawarded= 1993
|lastawarded= [[2025 Australia Day Honours]]
|total_awarded= 272
|total_awarded_posthumously=1
|total_recipients=273
|individual=
|precedence_label = Order of Wear
|higher= [[Star of Courage (Australia)|Star of Courage]]<ref name=OOW>{{cite web|title=The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards|url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/docs/order_of_wearing.pdf|publisher=Government House|access-date=23 March 2014|date=25 September 2007}}</ref> 
|same=
|lower= [[Member of the Order of Australia]]<ref name=OOW/> 
|related= [[Distinguished Service Medal (Australia)|Distinguished Service Medal]]<br/>[[Commendation for Distinguished Service]]
|image2=AUS Distinguished Service Cross & Bar ribbon.png
|caption2=Undress ribbon for DSC w/Bar
}}
The '''Distinguished Service Cross''' (DSC) is a [[military decoration]] awarded to personnel of the [[Australian Defence Force]]. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the [[Australian Honours System]]. Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross are entitled to use the [[post-nominal letters]] "DSC".<ref name=IAH>{{cite web|url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/medals/distinguished_service_cross.cfm|title=Distinguished Service Cross|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=23 February 2010}}</ref> Since its inception 273 awards have been made—which includes eight [[Medal bar|bars]] and one second bar.

==Government allowance==
The [[Government of Australia]] may grant an allowance to veterans or serving members of the [[Australian Defence Force]] who have been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, or other awards for gallantry. In November 2007, this allowance was [[Australian dollar|A$]]2.10 per fortnight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/s102.html |title=Veteran's Entitlements Act 1986 – Sect 102 |access-date=17 November 2007 |work=Commonwealth Consolidated Acts |publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute }}</ref>

==Description==
The Distinguished Service Cross is described as: "...a modified [[Maltese Cross]] of [[nickel silver]] ensigned with the [[St. Edward's Crown|Crown of St Edward]]. The [[obverse]] bears a [[Commonwealth Star|Federation Star]] surmounted on a disc of flames. The medal has a nickel-silver suspender bar. The medal ribbon has a central ochre-red stripe surrounded by narrower silver-blue stripes."<ref name=IAH/>

==Distinct recipients==
Since its inception, eight bars have been awarded;
;One bar
* Colonel '''V''', DSC & Bar – Citation: For distinguished command and leadership in action as a commanding officer on [[Operation Slipper]] in [[Afghanistan]] in June 2009.<ref>[http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2011/Media%20Notes%20DSC%20and%20Bar%20%28final%29.pdf COL ''V'' DSC & Bar], 26 January 2011, https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awards/australian-honours-lists</ref>
* Lieutenant Colonel '''P''', DSC & Bar – Citation: For distinguished command and leadership in action.<ref>[https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2012/Media%20Notes%20DSC%20and%20Bar%20%28final%29.pdf LTCOL ''P'' DSC & Bar], 26 January 2012, https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awards/australian-honours-lists</ref>
* Major General '''Michael Peter Crane''', DSC & Bar, AM – Citation: distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations as the Commander of Joint Task Force 633 on Operation Slipper from October 2012 to September 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/qb/qb2014/Gazette%203%20Military.pdf |title= MAJGEN ''Michael Peter Crane'' DSC & Bar, AM |work= The Queen's Birthday 2014 Honours List – Gazette 3 Military |date= 9 June 2014 }}</ref>
* Lieutenant Colonel '''F''', DSC & Bar – Citation: For distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations during Operation SLIPPER.<ref>{{Cite It's an Honour|ausawardid=1151508|date=26 January 2015|recipient=Lieutenant Colonel F|award=Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross|access-date= 27 January 2016}}</ref>
* Brigadier '''Daniel Fortune''', DSC & Bar – Citation: for distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations on Operation Slipper.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2016-11-21.32.1] |title=Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2016; Second Reading |date= 21 November 2016 }}</ref>
* Brigadier '''John William Shanahan''', DSC & Bar, AM, OBE – Citation: For distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Resolute Support Headquarters Chief of Operations and as Commanding General Train Advise Assist Command – South in Afghanistan from September 2017 to February 2019.

;Two bars
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Ian Langford (soldier)|Ian Langford]], DSC & Two Bars. Originally reported as "Lieutenant Colonel I" due to Special Forces protocols for name suppression. First citation: For distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations as Commanding Officer of Special Operations Task Group on [[Operation Slipper]].<ref>[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1149512 LTCOL ''I'' DSC & Bar], 26 January 2014, itsanhonour.gov.au</ref> Second Citation: For distinguished leadership in warlike operations as part of a Special Operations Force on Operation OKRA from September 2014 to February 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2016/dvvsf4sc1d05nwgt/Military%20Notes%20Final.pdf|title=Australia Day 2016 Honours List|access-date=26 January 2016|publisher=Australian Government|date=26 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cove.army.gov.au/article/accelerated-warfare-presented-brigadier-ian-langford-dsc-and-bars|title = Accelerated Warfare, Presented by Brigadier Ian Langford, DSC and Bars|date = 4 March 2019}}</ref>

==Senate inquiry==
On 3 July 2024, a [[Australian Senate|senate]] [[Defence Honours and Awards scandal|inquiry]] was launched to investigate the award criteria for the Distinguished Service Cross including the 2011 change from “in action” to “in warlike operations”.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inquiry to probe integrity of military honours and awards amid claims of abuse |date=3 July 2024 |url=https://thenightly.com.au/politics/inquiry-to-probe-integrity-of-military-honours-and-awards-amid-claims-of-abuse-c-15228740 |publisher=The Nightly |access-date=8 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Honours inquiry announcement |url=https://www.instagram.com/senatormalcolmroberts/p/C885wWavnah/?img_index=1 |website=Instagram |publisher=Senator Malcolm Roberts |access-date=8 July 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Australian Honours Order of Precedence]]
*[[List of recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross]]
*[[:Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Australian Honours System}}

[[Category:Military awards and decorations of Australia]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)|*]]
[[Category:1991 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1991]]