The National Defence Medal (French: "Médaille de la Défense nationale") is a French military decoration. It was created by Charles Hernu, Minister of Defence and established by decree on 21 April 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.[1]
Eligibility
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[1]
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.[1] People who had been awarded the Légion d'honneur or the Ordre national du Mérite can not receive the National Defence Medal.
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[1]
Mention in Dispatches
When an individual is mentioned in dispatches (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, silver gilt star or bronze palm) depending on the level (regiment, brigade, division, army) of the mention, in the same manner as for the Croix de Guerre.[1]
Award description
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" (French: 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" (French: "ARMÉE" "NATION" "DÉFENSE NATIONALE"), the upper and lower inscriptions being separated by a relief five pointed star on each side[1]
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[1]
Gold grade obverse & ribbon
Silver grade obverse & ribbon
Bronze grade obverse & ribbon
Gold grade for mentions in dispatches obverse & ribbon
Gold grade reverse & ribbon
With clasps: AIR FORCE and INTERSERVICES POST
With clasps: FRENCH NAVY and SUBMARINES
With clasp: AIRBORNE TROOPS
With palm for an Army level citation
Common reverse for all grades
Clasps
General Bruno Dary, a recipient of the Silver grade of the National Defense MedalAdmiral Pierre-François Forissier, a recipient of the Silver grade of the National Defense MedalAdmiral Édouard Guillaud, a recipient of the Bronze grade of the National Defense Medal
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.[1] As of 29 January 2021 the following clasps are awarded:[2]