Danie Theron Medal
| Danie Theron Medal | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Awarded by the State President | |
| Country |
 South Africa
|
| Type | Military decoration for merit |
| Eligibility | Members of the Commandos * Officers only from 1970 to 1975 * All ranks after 1975 |
| Awarded for | Exceptionally diligent and outstanding service |
| Status | Discontinued in 1993 |
| Post-nominals | DTM |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1970 |
| First awarded | 1971 |
| SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear | |
| Next (higher) |
SADF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
|
| Next (lower) |
SADF succession:
SANDF succession:
|
 Ribbon bar |
|
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The Danie Theron Medal, post-nominal letters DTM, is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1970 and which was in use until 1993. It was awarded for diligent service in the Commandos, the rural defence component of the South African Defence Force. Originally reserved for officers, it was available to all ranks from 1975.
The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
The Danie Theron Medal, post-nominal letters DTM, was instituted by the State President in 1970.
The medal could be awarded, in times of peace or war, to members of the Commandos, the rural defence component of the South African Defence Force, for exceptionally diligent and outstanding service. The medal was named after Danie Theron, a legendary Boer scout and guerilla warrior who fought valiantly in the Second Boer War.
Further conditions were that the recipient must be a South African citizen who had completed ten years service in the SADF and who had not yet received an award for devotion to duty or diligent service.
From 1970 to 1975, the Danie Theron Medal was awarded to officers only, since the Jack Hindon Medal (JHM) was the equivalent award for other ranks. When the Jack Hindon Medal was discontinued in 1975, the Danie Theron Medal became available for award to all ranks.
The position of the Danie Theron Medal in the official order of precedence was revised three times after 1975, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, again in April 1996, when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and finally upon the institution of a new set of awards on 27 April 2003.
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