Military Decoration

Award

Military Decoration

Military Decoration, second class

Type| Military decoration
Eligibility| Non-Commissioned Officers and enlisted ranks of the Belgian Armed Forces
Status| Active
Established| December 22, 1873

Ribbon
Precedence
Next (higher)| Military Cross
Next (lower)| Cross of Honour for Military Service Abroad

The Military Decoration (Dutch: Militair Ereteken, 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 long service. Initially, the medal was created in 2 versions. The version for exceptional service, gallantry or devotion to duty was created by the same royal decree, has the same jewel, but a different ribbon. Currently, both medals still exist, but are considered to be separate awards, not variations of the same award.

## Award criteria

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Only non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel are eligible for the award. The second class is awarded to non commissioned officers or enlisted personnel after 10 years of service. 5 years after the award of the second class, one is awarded the first class. Officers are not eligible for the award, but also receive a decoration for long service: the Military Cross. When an individual is awarded both the military decoration and the military cross, only the latter can be worn on the uniform.

## Award description

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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"). 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.

## Devices

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A gilt inverted metal chevron is affixed to the ribbon of the award first class.

Obverse
First Class  | Obverse
Second Class  | Common
Reverse

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## See also

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* Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium

* Belgium portal

## References

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* 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

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* Belgian Military Decoration at Northeastmedals

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Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium

National orders|

* Order of Leopold
* Order of the African Star
* Royal Order of the Lion
* Order of the Crown
* Order of Leopold II

Pre–1914|

* Civic Guard Merit Medal
* 1830 Star of Honour
* Iron Cross
* 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross
* 1870–71 Commemorative Medal
* Service Star

World War I|

* War Cross 1914–18
* Fire Cross 1914–1918
* Yser Cross and Medal
* Volunteer Combatant's Medal 1914–1918
* Commemorative Medal of the 1914–1918 War
* Commemorative Medal of the 1914–1917 African Campaigns
* 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

World War II
& Korean War|

* War Cross 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 1940–1945 War
* Foreign Operational Theatres Commemorative Medal

Current
military awards|

* Military Decoration for exceptional service, bravery or exceptional devotion
* Military Cross
* Military Decoration for faithful service
* Cross of Honour for Military Service Abroad
* Commemorative Medal for Armed Humanitarian Operations
* Commemorative Medal for Foreign Operations or Missions
* Commemorative medal for missions or operations regarding the operational defense of the territory
* Meritorious Service Medal

Current
civilian awards|

* Civil decoration for acts of bravery, selfsacrifice and philanthropy
* Civil decoration for faithful service
* Labour Decoration
* Laureate of labour

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
* Commemorative Medal for the "European March of Memory and Friendship"
* "Four Days of the Yser" Commemorative Medal

Belgian Red Cross|

* Order of the Belgian Red Cross
* Blood Donour's Medal
* 1940–1945 Cross of Honour of the Belgian Red Cross
* 1940–1945 Belgian Red Cross Decoration

Belgium portal
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