Military Decoration (Belgium)

Military Decoration
Military Decoration on gallantry ribbon with palm
Awarded by Kingdom of Belgium
Type	Military decoration,
Eligibility	Non-Commissioned Officers and other ranks of the Belgian Armed Forces
Awarded for	Gallantry or long and good service.
Status	Active
Statistics
Established	December 22, 1873
Ribbon for gallanry Ribbon for long service

The Military Decoration (Dutch: Militaire Decoratie, French: Décoration Militaire) is a military award of the Kingdom of Belgium. It was established on December 23, 1873 and is awarded to non-commissioned officers and other ranks of the Belgian Armed Forces for gallantry or loyal and uninterrupted service.

Military Decoration for Long Service

The Military Decoration, when awarded for long service to non commissioned officers and enlisted personnel, is awarded in two classes. The first class is awarded for a minimum of fifteen years' good service, the second class for ten years' service. The Military Cross is the equivalent award for commissioned officers.

The medal is suspended by a ring through the suspension loop to a silk moiré ribbon of seventeen alternating longitudinal stripes of red, yellow and black. A gilt inverted metal chevron is afixed to the ribbon of the award first class.

Military Decoration for Exceptional Service or Acts of Courage or Devotion

The Military Decoration for Exceptional Service or Acts of Courage or Devotion (Dutch: Militair ereteken voor buitengewone dienst of voor daad van moed of toewijding French: Décoration militaire pour service exceptionnel ou acte de courage ou de dévouement) is awarded to military personnel of any rank for gallantry or devotion to duty, it is also referred to as an 'Article 4' award. It is also awarded in two classes denoted by the addition of an inverted gilt chevron for the award first class.

In the period 2009-2013, the Military Decoration for Exceptional Service or Acts of Courage or Devotion second class was awarded 58 times. During the same period, the Military Decoration for Exceptional Service or Acts of Courage or Devotion first class was not awarded.

Only the ribbon differs from the long service award, the gallantry award hangs from a red silk moiré ribbon with narrow longitudinal gold and black stripes near the edges. A silver palm can be worn on the ribbon for acts of gallantry during wartime.

Award description

The medal is a gilt cross pattée surmounted by the royal crown of Belgium with four rays between the cross arms. The obverse bears a circular central medallion with a lion and the circular relief inscription "L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE" (STRENGTH IN UNITY). The reverse is identical except for the central medallion, the center bears the royal monogram of the reigning monarch at time of award surrounded by the relief inscription "ARMÉE * MÉRITE * ANCIENNETÉ" ("ARMY * MERIT * SENIORITY").

For Gallantry	For Gallantry	For Long Service	For Long Service	Common Reverse

First Class Obverse	Second Class Obverse	First Class Obverse	Second Class Obverse	Only royal monogram at center changes

References

Clarke JD,Gallantry Medals & Awards of the World
Royal Decree of 23 December 1873 creating the Military Decoration
Belgian military regulation DGHR-REG-DISPSYS-001 of 20 February 2006
Quinot H., 1950, Recueil illustré des décorations belges et congolaises, 4e Edition. (Hasselt)
Cornet R., 1982, Recueil des dispositions légales et réglementaires régissant les ordres nationaux belges. 2e Ed. N.pl., (Brussels)
Borné A.C., 1985, Distinctions honorifiques de la Belgique, 1830-1985 (Brussels)
Report of written questions and answers in the Belgian House of Representatives, 17 March 2014 (QRVA 53-152)

External links

Belgian Military Decoration at Northeastmedals

Orders and Honours of Belgium

Current orders	Order of Leopold Order of the Crown Order of Leopold II

Formerly awarded orders (dormant)	Order of the African Star Royal Order of the Lion

Pre 1914 war medals and decorations	Civic Guard Merit Medal 1830 Star of Honour Iron Cross 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross 1870–71 Commemorative Medal

1914–1918 war medals and decorations	Croix de guerre 1914–18 Fire Cross 1914–1918 Yser Medal Yser Cross Volunteer Combatant's Medal 1914–1918 1914–1918 Commemorative War Medal 1914–1917 African Campaigns Commemorative Medal Liège Medal Maritime Decoration 1914–1918 Political Prisoner's Medal 1914–1918 Deportees' Cross 1914–1918 1914–1918 Medal for National Restoration King Albert Medal Queen Elisabeth Medal Inter-Allied Victory Medal 1914–1918 Civic Decoration 1914–1918 Commemorative Medal of the National Committee for Aid and Food

1940–1945 war medals and decorations	Croix de guerre 1940–45 Maritime Medal 1940–1945 1940–1945 Military Combatant's Medal Volunteer's Medal 1940–1945 1940–1945 African War Medal 1940–1945 Colonial War Effort Medal Abyssinian Campaigns Commemorative Medal Resistance Medal 1940–1945 Civilian Resistance Medal Civilian Disobedience Medal Political Prisoner's Cross 1940–1945 Prisoner of War Medal 1940–1945 Escapees' Cross 1940–1945 Medal for Resistance against Nazism in the Annexed Territories Medal of the Recruiting Centers 1940 Medal of Belgian Gratitude 1940–1945 Commemorative Medal of the War 1940–1945 Civic Decoration 1940–1945

Post 1945 war medals and decorations	Foreign Operational Theatres Commemorative Medal War Volunteer's Medal

Current military awards	Military Cross Military Decoration Croix de guerre (post-1954) Cross of Honour for Military Service Abroad Commemorative Medal for Armed Humanitarian Operations Medal for Services Rendered Commemorative Medal for Foreign Operations or Missions Medal for Military Merit Commemorative Medal for the "European March of Memory and Friendship" "Four Days of the Yser" Commemorative Medal

Current civilian awards	Civic Decoration Honour Badge of Labour Labour Decoration Decoration for Mutuality

Commemorative medals	Commemorative Decoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Creation of the Railroads Commemorative Medal of the Reign of King Leopold II Commemorative Medal for the 75th Anniversary of the Belgian Postal Service Centenary of National Independence Commemorative Medal Commemorative Medal for the Centenary of the Telegraphic Service Commemorative Medal for the 100th Anniversary of the Belgian Postal Service Commemorative Medal of the Reign of King Albert I

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