Citation for confronting gunman

Applecross electrical engineer Aron Crowhurst is one of seven men in the group there were three others from Perth at the time to receive a citation for helping chase down a gun-wielding man who attempted to carjack a woman in Griffith, ACT on August 12, 2011.

ACT Policing later arrested a 37-year-old Queanbeyan man and charged him with attempted aggravated robbery, according to local media reports.

Mr Crowhurst said he and his friends were "all surprised" to receive letters informing them of the citation. They said they didn't expect anything to come from what felt like a natural reaction to the sound of a scared woman shrieking.

Mr Crowhurst said he and his friends were in a minivan travelling slowly over speed bumps in a shopping area about 6.30pm on a Friday night on their way to buy dinner when the drama unfolded.

"We heard a shriek, a true scream that you can feel on the inside of your stomach. We knew something was seriously wrong," Mr Crow-hurst said.

"The driver jammed the handbrake on and we all piled out. We heard a woman scream �he's got a gun". There was a man in the passenger seat of her car but he started running and we chased him.

�We got a description of his car and the rego number and I rang 000.

"All these lads (pictured) were involved that night. I have a feeling that one or more of their names may have been left off a police report but we were all there at the time."

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove said the community was fortunate to have so many outstanding people willing to put themselves in harm's way to assist others in need.

"Since 1975 these awards have drawn national attention to the personal efforts of individuals, made willingly, without thought of personal risk," General Cosgrove said.

"They now join the company of more than 40,000 recipients of Australian honours whose actions have enriched our community and whose values we hold dear professionalism, compassion, dedication, generosity, tolerance, and energetic ambition."