Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medallion.
A member of the armed forces mentioned in dispatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which his or her gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy is described.
The following is a list of medals, awards and decorations in use in Poland. Most of them are awarded by the Polish Army, but some of them are civilian decorations that may be worn by the military personnel.
Czesław Jan Kiszczak(listen) was a Polish general, communist-era interior minister (1981–1990) and prime minister (1989).
Brigadier General Sławomir Petelicki was the first commander of the Polish special forces unit GROM from July 13, 1990, until December 19, 1995. Later, he was the head of the Foundation of Former GROM Soldiers.
The Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard, post-nominal letters NB, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted in 2003. It is South Africa's third highest military decoration for bravery.
The orders, decorations, and medals of Canada comprise a complex system by which Canadians are honoured by the country's sovereign for actions or deeds that benefit their community or the country at large. Modelled on its British predecessor, the structure originated in the 1930s, but began to come to full fruition at the time of Canada's centennial in 1967, with the establishment of the Order of Canada, and has since grown in both size and scope to include dynastic and national orders, state, civil, and military decorations; and various campaign medals. The monarch in right of each Canadian province also issues distinct orders and medals to honour residents for work performed in just their province. The provincial honours, as with some of their national counterparts, grant the use of post-nominal letters and or supporters and other devices to be used on personal coats of arms.
Authorized foreign decorations of the United States military are those military decorations which have been approved for wear by members of the United States armed forces but whose awarding authority is the government of a country other than the United States.
The Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego is Poland's domestic counter-intelligence agency. The ABW is responsible for analyzing, reporting and preventing threats to Poland's internal security, including terrorism, foreign espionage, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, organized crime, corruption and economic coercion. Its powers include arresting individuals, conducting searches and investigations, and combating terrorism with a specialized armed anti-terrorist force.
The Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM) is a United Kingdom decoration awarded for exemplary acts of bravery by civilians, and by members of the Armed Forces "not in the face of the enemy", where the services were not so outstanding as to merit the George Cross or the George Medal, but above the level required for the Queen's Commendation for Bravery.
The New Zealand Gallantry Decoration (NZGD) is the third level military decoration of the New Zealand armed forces.
The War Order of Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King Stanisław II August and is one of the oldest military decorations in the world still in use.
Portugal has a system of orders, decorations, and medals as a means of honouring individuals for personal bravery, achievement, or service to Portugal.
Awards and decorations of Armenia are military and civil decorations of Armenia which are bestowed by various agencies of the Armenian government for acts of accomplishment benefiting the government and the Armenian nation as a whole.
Law enforcement in Poland consists of the Police (Policja), City Guards, and several smaller specialised agencies. The Prokuratura Krajowa and an independent judiciary also play an important role in the maintenance of law and order.
The Polish Army Medal was established by Poland on 3 September 1999 to recognize service to the Polish Army by foreign civilians and military personnel. The medal is presented in three grades Gold, Silver, and Bronze by the Polish Minister of National Defence. Most awards are presented to members of allied armed forces, but the medal is also awarded to civilians who contribute to promoting the history and traditions of the Polish Army outside of Poland.
The Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established and bestowed to military personnel to denote the sixtieth anniversary of the creation of the armed forces of the Soviet Union. It was established on January 28, 1978 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Its statute was amended by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on July 18, 1980.
The Military Cross of Merit, Navy Cross of Merit, Air Force Cross of Merit are military decorations awarded to members of the Polish Armed Forces. The crosses with swords (z Mieczami) are conferred for meritorious service in combat operations against acts of terrorism at home or during military, peacekeeping or stabilization missions overseas; the crosses without swords are conferred for outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service.
The Medal for Long Service is a Polish decoration awarded in three classes to members of the Polish Armed Forces and other uniformed services, and to civilians who have honorably completed 30, 20 or 10 years of service to the State.
The current honours system of the Republic of Malta has its foundation in the 17 October 1975 Ġieh ir-Repubblika Act. This act has been subsequently amended by Acts XXXVII of 1976, XIII of 1983, XIV of 1990, XI of 1991 and XV of 1993; Legal Notice 423 of 2007; and Acts VI of 2008, V and XVII of 2011, and XIX of 2013. This act lays out the structure of the orders and medals of Malta. Subsidiary legislation spells out details missing in the initial act and also established national commemorative medals. The honours system of Malta can be broken down into three general parts, the National Order of Merit, Xirka Ġieħ ir-Repubblika, and Medals of the Republic.
