Eligibility for Her Majesty's Armed Forces Veterans Badge, and the UK Merchant Seafarers Badge, has been extended to include all men and women who served at any time up to 31 December 1969.
The Armed Forces Badge was originally launched in 2004 and intended for veterans of the First and Second World Wars. But it proved to be so popular that eligibility was extended last year to those who served until 1959.
Merchant Navy veterans were originally entitled to the Armed Forces Veterans Badge but were given their own badge, the UK Merchant Seafarers Veteran's Badge, earlier this year.
The Veteran's Badge has already been awarded to over 328,000 veterans and the Merchant Seafarers Badge has been awarded to over 3,000 recipients.
With the 10 year extension of eligibility for the two badges, thousands more veterans will be entitled, including those who served in Aden (1964-1967) where 167 British service personnel lost their lives, Malaysia (1964-1966) and in Northern Ireland at the start of the troubles in 1969. Mr Ingram said:
"Today there are 10 million veterans living, working and contributing across every walk of life in the United Kingdom. The HM Armed Forces Veteran's Badge and UK Merchant Seafarers Veteran's Badge are marks of our respect and gratitude.
"I am delighted to announce that we are extending the eligibility to a new group of thoroughly deserving veterans. These men and women served in small wars and counter insurgencies; in conflicts that are perhaps less in the limelight today. Conflicts that saw bloody fighting from the jungles of Malaya, Borneo and Sarawak to the dusty plains and city of Aden at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula.
"As Winston Churchill said: 'A medal glitters, but it also casts a shadow'. And those words certainly resonate today, in this week of Remembrance Sunday. As we commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of our commitment of our service personnel we also remember those who did not return."
