Military Decoration (Belgium)

Military Decoration
Military Decoration
	Military Decoration on gallantry ribbon with palm
Type	Military decoration,
Eligibility	Non-Commissioned Officers and other ranks of the Belgian Armed Forces
Status	Active
Established	December 22, 1873
	; Ribbon for gallanry; ; Ribbon for long service
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of Leopold II (acts of courage variant) Military Cross (long service variant)
Next (lower)	Cross of Honour for Military Service Abroad

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 affixed 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.

Precedence[]

The Military Decoration for Exceptional Service or Acts of Courage or Devotion is worn before the Military Cross, the variant for Long Service is worn after the Military Cross. When both variants have been awarded to the same person, the Long Service variant is worn after the variant for Exceptional Service or Acts of Courage or Devotion.

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

hide v t Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium
Current orders	Order of Leopold Order of the Crown Order of Leopold II
Former orders	Order of the African Star Royal Order of the Lion
Pre–1914	Iron Cross 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross 1870–71 Commemorative Medal Service Star
1914–1918	Croix de guerre 1914–18 Fire Cross 1914–1918 Yser Medal Yser Cross Volunteer Combatant's Medal 1914–1918 Commemorative Medal of the 1914–1918 War Commemorative Medal of the 1914–1917 African Campaigns Liège Medal Political Prisoner's Medal 1914–1918 Deportees' Cross 1914–1918 King Albert Medal Queen Elisabeth Medal Inter-Allied Victory Medal 1914–1918 Civic Decoration 1914–1918
1940–1945	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 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 Commemorative Medal of the 1940–1945 War Civic Decoration 1940–1945
Post–1945	Medal of Military Merit
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 Meritorious Service Medal 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
Commemorative medals	Commemorative Decoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Creation of the Railroads Commemorative Medal of the Reign of King Leopold II Centenary of National Independence Commemorative Medal Commemorative Medal of the Reign of King Albert I
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