Eligibility based on service in Iraq, Kuwait, the Persian Gulf, Cambodia, the former Yugoslavia and Somalia is designed to recognise that members of the Australian Defence Force could be required to undertake operations of a warlike nature in areas where there were incidents of a local sporadic nature rather than continuing operations. Accordingly, eligibility is based on the principle that benefits should stem from a period of service in which the member was exposed to hazards of a warlike nature beyond those of normal peacetime duty and depended upon allotment for duty in a prescribed operational area.
An eligible person therefore, is a person who, as a member of the Defence Force whose first service in the Defence Force began on or before 14 May 1985, rendered service in the area described in:
- Item 10 in Schedule 2 to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 [Persian Gulf/Middle East], between 2 August 1990 and 9 June 1991 inclusive; or
- A list of all individuals allotted for duty can be found on CLIK[Legislation / Service Eligibility / Service Determinations / Schedule 2 — Operational Areas / Item 10: Gulf War (1990–1991)]
- Item 11 in Schedule 2 to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 [Iraq and Kuwait], between 23 February 1991 and 9 June 1991 inclusive;
- Item 12 in Schedule 2 to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 [Cambodia], between 20 October 1991 and 7 October 1993 inclusive;
- A list of all individuals allotted for duty can be found on CLIK[Legislation / Service Eligibility / Service Determinations / Schedule 2 — Operational Areas / Item 12: Cambodia (1991–1993) / Individuals]
- Item 13 in Schedule 2 to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 [former Yugoslavia], from and including 12 January 1992 to and including 24 January 1997; or
- Item 14 in Schedule 2 to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 [Somalia],from and including 20 October 1992 to and including 30 November 1994.
- A list of all individuals allotted for duty can be found on CLIK[Legislation / Service Eligibility / Service Determinations / Schedule 2 — Operational Areas / Item 14: Somalia (1992–1994) / Individuals]