Defence and peacekeeping service under the VEA

From 1 July 2026, the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) is the sole Act under which new compensation and rehabilitation claims related to defence service are determined. The Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) and Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) closed to new claims from that date. This page provides an overview of the types of defence service under the MRCA.

Defence service

Under the MRCA, Defence Service encompasses all types of service rendered by members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and certain civilians deemed or declared to be members.

Warlike Service

• Service determined by the Defence Minister as involving active operations against an enemy where Australia is a combatant and, with a high risk of harm from hostile forces.
• Examples include combat operations in defined areas and operations.

Non- Warlike Service 

• Service determined by the Defence Minister as where force is authorised for self-protection, and threat from hostile forces is possible but casualties are less likely.
• Examples include peacekeeping missions or humanitarian operations.

Certain service before 1997 has been included under the MRCA as hazardous, peacekeeping or operational service. These reflect historical service classifications used before 1997 and are treated like non-warlike or warlike service for the purposes of compensation claims. 

• Hazardous service is defined by the Minister in a legislative instrument, and included certain operational activities conducted with an elevated level of risk, such as weapons inspections or mine-clearance in conflict areas.
• A member of a Peacekeeping Force is a person who served with a defined Peacekeeping Force outside Australia as an Australian member of a peacekeeping force, or as a member of an Australian contingent of a peacekeeping force. More-recent peacekeeping service has been declared as non-warlike service.
• Operational service includes certain defined activities in specified conflicts prior to 1997, effectively bring over coverage for these activities that previously existed in the VEA. Some Operational service is also qualifying service under the VEA.

Peacetime Service

• Any Defence Service not classified as warlike or non-warlike.
• Includes routine training, administrative duties, other non-operational activities and activities on operations that have not been declared as warlike or non-warlike.

British Nuclear Test Defence service

The MRCA sets out a detailed definition of who is a British Nuclear Test participant for the purposes of compensation. Generally, coverage is provided to ADF members who were present in a defined test area during specified times when atomic weapons trials were taking place, or who were involved in activities directly relating to the testing, such as decontamination of vehicles and equipment. For more information, please see Service covered under the VEA. 

What am I eligible for?

If you are a current or former ADF member who rendered any of the types of service listed above, or are a police officer who served in a declared Peacekeeping Force, as set out in section 6A of the MRCA, you may receive compensation and treatment for any injury or disease accepted as related to your relevant service.

Treatment under the VEA is provided through a Veteran Card - Specific Conditions or, if you have a high level of service-related impairment, a Veteran Card - All Conditions. A Veteran Card - Specific Conditions allows you to receive treatment for your accepted disabilities, as well as certain conditions under Non-Liability Health Care (NLHC) treatment arrangements if eligible. If you have received 60 or more Permanent Impairment points or are SRDP eligible you would also be eligible for a Veteran Card - All Conditions which provides clinically required treatment for all medical conditions within Australia.

Warlike service described in this page gives eligibility for qualifying service, which provides eligibility under the VEA for the service pension and automatic entitlement to the Veteran Card – All Conditions at age 70.