Military Decoration (Belgium)

The Military Decoration (Militaire Decoratie, 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 commissionned officers and enlisted, 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 (Militair ereteken voor buitengewone dienst of voor daad van moed of toewijding 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.

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 NUMBERS). 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").