Military Decoration for gallantry or exceptional devotion

Military Decoration
Military Decoration
	Military Decoration for gallantry ribbon with palm
Type	Military decoration
Awarded for	Exceptional service, acts of heroism or exceptional devotion to duty.
Eligibility	Military personnel of the Belgian Armed Forces
Status	Active
Established	December 22, 1873
Last awarded	December 21, 2022 (72 awards to servicemen who participated in operation Red Kite)
	; Ribbon;
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of Leopold II
Next (lower)	Military Cross (Belgium)

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 personnel of the Belgian Armed Forces for either displayed herorism or for display of extraordinary devotion to duty. In history, sometimes it is referred to as an 'Article 4' award, as originally, the medal was created as a variation of the military decoration for long service. However, nowadays, both medals are distinct awards, albeit still having the same guilt cross.

Award criteria

During both World wars, the medal was almost exclusively awarded for acts of bravery and thus extremely rare. 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. Presently, the award of the medal is a bit more common as it is more often awarded for exceptional service. Examples of awards for exceptional service are the automatic award of the medal to navy personnel below the rank of officer for 20 years of service on board of Navy vessels^[1] or the award of 72 medals to military personnel engaged in the Non Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) Red Kite in 2021.^[2] The medal can be awarded in 2 classes. Usually, only the second class of the medal is awarded. The first class of the medal is awarded for very exceptional heroism or devotion. Only commissioned and non-commissioned officers are eligible to the first class of the medal.

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"). It hangs from a red silk moiré ribbon with narrow longitudinal gold and black stripes near the edges.

Devices

An inverted gilt chevron is worn on the ribbon, denoting award of the medal "first class". During the World Wars, the medal was sometimes awarded with a silver palm, worn on the ribbon denoting awards during wartime. The silver palm device is currently obsolete.

First Class Obverse	Second Class with palm Obverse

Rejected decorations for efforts against terrorist attacks on March 22

On 22 March 2016, two coordinated terrorist attacks in Belgium, were carried out by the Islamic State (IS). Two suicide bombers detonated bombs at Brussels Airport in Zaventem, and one detonated a bomb on a train leaving Maalbeek/Maelbeek metro station in central Brussels. Twentynine servicemen who were at that moment at the airport started immediately after the explosions to secure the area and to evacuate the people and took care of the victims. Seven other soldiers who were patrolling went to Maelbeek metro station in search of survivors and participated in the evacuation of the station. All of them submitted a request to get the Military Decoration for Exceptional Service or Acts of Courage or Devotion, with the support of their chefs but the army command denied the request because, as stated, 'We don't want to encourage a cult of heroes at Defense'. ^[3]

References

^ Belgian military regulation DGHR-REG-DISPSYS-001 of 20 February 2006
^ "Medaille voor de militairen van operatie Red Kite" (in Dutch). 21 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
^ "Geen eretekens voor militairen op 22 maart 2018" (in Dutch). 26 June 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2023.

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

[1] Belgian military regulation DGHR-REG-DISPSYS-001 of 20 February 2006

[2] "Medaille voor de militairen van operatie Red Kite" (in Dutch). 21 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.

[3] "Geen eretekens voor militairen op 22 maart 2018" (in Dutch). 26 June 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e 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
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