Distinguished Service Medal (Ireland)

The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) (Irish: An Bonn Seirbhíse Dearscna) is a military decoration issued by the Irish Government, created to recognize individual acts of courage, leadership, resourcefulness, or devotion to duty by a member of the Irish Defence Forces.

Distinguished Service Medal An Bonn Seirbhíse Dearscna
Distinguished Service Medal with Honour Distinguished Service Medal with Distinction Distinguished Service Medal with Merit
Awarded for	Individual acts of bravery, courage, leadership, resource or devotion to duty
Presented by	Ireland
Eligibility	Officers, non-commissioned officers and privates/seaman/aircrew of the Defence Forces and members of the Army Nursing and Chaplaincy Services.
Post-nominals	BSD
Status	Currently awarded
Established	18 February 1964
Precedence
Next (higher)	Military Medal For Gallantry
Next (lower)	Good Conduct Medal

Recipients are entitled to use of the post-nominals BSD, the Irish abbreviation of the medal's name.

The Distinguished Service Medal is the second-highest military honour presented by the Republic of Ireland, second only to the Military Medal for Gallantry (An Bonn Míleata Calmachta). Unlike the Military Medal for Gallantry, the Distinguished Service Medal can be awarded either for meritorious actions, or for an act of heroism.

History

The Distinguished Service Medal was created on 18 February 1964, to be awarded in three grades: 1st Class, 2nd Class, and 3rd Class, in similar fashion to the older Military Medal for Gallantry.

In January 1984, the three grades were renamed; 1st Class became with Honour, 2nd Class with Distinction, and 3rd Class with Merit.

External links

• Medals of the Irish Defence Forces (archived 2013)
• Irish medals