National Defence Medal

The National Defence Medal ("Médaille de la Défense nationale") is a French military decoration. It was created by Charles Hernu, Minister of Defence and established by decree on April 21, 1982. It rewards particularly honourable service rendered by military personnel for their participation in operational activities. The medal has three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze.

For military service
The award is made by decision of the military hierarchy, but the recipients must have achieved a personal minimum of:
 * For the Bronze level: 1 year of service and accumulated 90 points;
 * For the Silver level: 5 years of service (minimum 2 years in the Bronze level) and accumulated 600 points;
 * For the Gold level: 10 years of service (minimum 2 years in the Silver grade) and accumulated 800 points

The yearly quota of Gold and Silver level awards are set by the minister of defence. Points are earned through participation in exercises, operations, proficiency, initiative, awards received, etc. People who had been awarded the ordre de la Légion d'honneur or the ordre du mérite can not receive the Médaille for military service.

Exceptional circumstances
The medal can be awarded in any one of the three levels to:
 * Military personnel on active duty or in reserves and civilians killed or injured in the line of duty;
 * Active military or reservists which have distinguished themselves by the quality of their service;
 * French civilians and foreign military personnel or civilians who have rendered honourable services particularly important to the defence of France

Mention in Despatches
When an individual is mentioned in despatches (citation dans les ordres) for heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. He or she is awarded the Médaille de la Défense Nationale at the Gold level, adorned with a ribbon device (bronze, silver or silver gilt star or palm) depending on the level (regiment, brigade, division, army) of the mention, in the same manner as for the Croix de Guerre.

Medal and ribbon
The National Defence Medal is a 36 mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze, the gold level is gilt, the silver award is silvered. The obverse bears the relief image of Rude's Marseillaise with the relief inscription along the upper circumference "FRENCH REPUBLIC" (RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE). The reverse bears the relief image of a Phrygian cap over a laurel branch and the inscription along the medal circumference in the upper half "ARMY" and "NATION", in the lower half "NATIONAL DEFENSE" ("ARMÉE" "NATION" "DÉFENSE NATIONALE"), the upper and lower inscriptions being separated by a relief five pointed star on each side

The medal hangs from a ring through the medal's suspension loop. The bronze grade award's ribbon is a 36 mm wide red silk moiré ribbon with a 12 mm wide central blue stripe. The ribbon for the silver grade award is similar with the addition of 3 mm wide white edge stripes, the edge stripes are yellow for the gold grade award

Clasps


Multiple specialty and geographical clasps are allowed for wear on the ribbon, each grade being allowed a single clasp up to a maximum of three

Geographical clasps:
 * Corps européen (European Corps)
 * Force océanique stratégique (Strategic oceanic forces)
 * Missions d'opérations extérieures (Foreign operational missions)
 * Missions d'opérations intérieures (Domestic operational missions)
 * Mururoa-Hao
 * Terres australes et antarctiques (Southern and Antarctic lands)
 * Forces françaises stationnées en Allemagne (French forces stationed in Germany)
 * Missions d'assistance extérieure (Foreign assistance missions)
 * Postes Interarmées (Interservices post)

Speciality clasps:
 * Infanterie (Infantry)
 * Troupes de marine (Army expeditionary troops)
 * Arme blindée et cavalerie (Armoured troops)
 * Artillerie (Artillery)
 * Train (Logistics)
 * Génie (Engineering)
 * Transmissions (Communications)
 * Matérial (Supply)
 * Commissariat de l'armée de terre (Army administration)
 * Troupes de montagne (Mountain troops)
 * Troupes aéroportées (Airborne troops)
 * Aviation légère (Light aviation)
 * Sapeurs-pompiers (Firefighters)
 * Sécurité civile (Civil defence)
 * Légion étrangère (Foreign Legion)
 * Bâtiments de combat (Warships)
 * Sous-marins (Submarines)
 * Aéronautique navale (Naval aviation)
 * Fusiliers marins (Marines)
 * Nageurs de combat (Combat divers)
 * Plongeurs démineurs (Clearance divers)
 * Marins pompiers (Naval firefighters)
 * Force aérienne de combat (Combat air forces)
 * Force aérienne stratégique (Strategic air force)
 * Force aérienne de projection (Air expeditionary force)
 * Commandement air des systèmes de surveillance, d'information et de communication (Air force surveillance, information and communication systems command)
 * Défense aérienne (Air defence)
 * Fusiliers commandos de l'air (Air force commandos)
 * Génie de l'air (Aerospace engineering)
 * Commandement des écoles de l'armée de l'air (Air force training command)
 * Armement (Weapons)
 * Service de santé (Medical service)
 * Services des essences (Fuel service)
 * Gendarmerie nationale (Federal police)
 * Armée de terre (Army)
 * Marine nationale (Navy)
 * Armée de l'air (Air force)
 * Justice militaire (Military justice)

Gold grade

 * Paris firefighter master corporal Christophe Dubois
 * Athlete Cyril Soyer

Silver grade

 * General Bruno Dary
 * Admiral Pierre-François Forissier
 * Général de corps d'armée Bruno Clément-Bollée
 * Admiral Bernard Rogel

Bronze grade

 * Admiral Édouard Guilaud
 * General Benoît Puga
 * General Xavier Bout de Marnhac
 * Prince Charles Philippe, Duke of Anjou
 * Police colonel Isabelle Guion de Méritens
 * Police major Bruno Beschizza
 * Naval reserve lieutenant commander Jean-Jacques Brot
 * Police brigadier general Thierry Orosco
 * General Antoine Lecerf
 * Gendarmerie nationale général d'armée Denis Favier
 * Sailor Bruno Sevaistre

Exceptional circumstances

 * USA Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Ritsick (Gold grade with clasp "INFANTERIE")
 * USAF Captain John Mosier (Gold grade with bronze star)
 * USAF Technical Sergeant Kristopher Burridge (Gold grade with bronze star)
 * USAF Senior Airman Jackson Rogers (Gold grade with bronze star)