For the purposes of determining a person's eligibility for entitlements under the VEA, being allotted for duty in an operational area (schedule 2 VEA refers) is a reference to a person or unit of the Defence Force, that is allotted for duty by written instrument issued by the:

• Defence Force,
• Vice Chief of the Defence Force, or
• Minister for Defence (deemed allotted subsection 5R(1) refers)

Allotment may be retrospective or prospective.