Medal of the Nation's Gratitude

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Medal of the Nation's Gratitude
Medaille de la Reconnaissance de la Nation France AVERS.jpg
Medal of the Nation's Gratitude with North Africa clasp
TypeCivil and Military Award
Awarded forRecipients of the Certificate of the Nation's Gratitude
Presented byFlag of France.svg  France
StatusCurrently Awarded
Established12 April 2002
Medaille de Reconnaissance de la Nation (d'Afrique du Nord) ribbon-2.png
Ribbon of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude
Precedence
Equivalent North Africa medal
Next (lower) French commemorative medal
Reverse of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude Medaille de la Reconnaissance de la Nation France REVERS.jpg
Reverse of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude
Admiral Edouard Guillaud, a recipient of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude Eurocorps Strasbourg passage de commandement 28 juin 2013 36.jpg
Admiral Édouard Guillaud, a recipient of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude
General Elrick Irastorza, a recipient of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude Elrick Irastorza-120109-M-0884D-005b.jpg
General Elrick Irastorza, a recipient of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude

The Medal of the Nation's Gratitude (French : "Medaille de Reconnaissance de la Nation") is a French state decoration established on 12 April 2002 by decree 2002-511 [1] and awarded to civilians, veterans of civil or military service, and to members of the French armed forces previously awarded the "Title of the Nation's Gratitude", a governmental scroll certifying to honorable service abroad. [2]

Contents

The medal was primarily established to replace the North Africa medal with broader and more inclusive prerequisites following years of pressure on the French government by veterans' organizations. [1]

Award statute

The Medal of the Nation's Gratitude is awarded to persons who have previously been awarded the Title of the Nation's Gratitude, its particular award criteria were fixed by law No. 93-7 of 4 January 1993. [3] Potential recipients must meet the following conditions: [4]

The Title of the Nation's Gratitude is automatically bestowed to personnel prematurely evacuated due to injuries suffered or diseases caught while in theatre. [2]

The list of theatres of operations determined by the laws of eligibility for the Title of the Nation's Gratitude are: [1]

Award description

The Medal of the Nation's Gratitude is a 34mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze and gilded. Its obverse bears the effigy of the Republic on surrounded by the relief inscription "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" (English: "FRENCH REPUBLIC"). The reverse bears the relief inscription on four lines "MÉDAILLE" "DE" "RECONNAISSANCE" "DE LA NATION" (English: "MEDAL" "OF" "GRATITUDE" "OF THE NATION") over the relief image of a sprig of three oak leaves. [2]

The medal hangs from a ribbon passing through a ring through the medal's ball shaped suspension loop. The 34mm wide sand coloured silk moiré ribbon bears inverted 34mm wide and 3mm thick blue chevrons. The undress ribbon bears three such chevrons. [2]

The medal is always awarded with a clasp and may be awarded with multiple clasps. Five clasps are currently approved for wear on the ribbon of the Medal of the Nation's Gratitude: [2]

Notable recipients (partial list)

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "France Phaléristique web site" (in French). Marc Champenois. 2004-01-01. Retrieved 2013-10-06.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Battini, Jean; Zaniewicki, Witold (2003). Guide pratique des décorations françaises actuelles. Paris: LAVAUZELLE. ISBN   2-7025-1030-2.
  3. "Decree n° 93-7 of the President of the French Republic of 4 January 1993" (in French). LégiFrance. 1993-01-04. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Decree n° 2002-511 of the President of the French Republic of 12 April 2002" (in French). LégiFrance. 2002-04-14. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Decree n° 77-371 of the President of the French Republic of 7 January 1977" (in French). LégiFrance. 1977-01-14. Retrieved 2016-11-18.