Aha Jimlad. Great to read your blind support of the status quo, as usual.
If the UKGov/MOD is that strapped for cash, I suggest that they review a damn sight more before curtailing the criteria for awards and medals due to cost! Now, they could review the eligibility for free issue but, to go and define the merit of the award as limited by such a recent in-service date is an administrative contrivance that devalues the award itself to worthlessness and ridicule.
Is that the intention of this move?
OAP