Military awards and decorations of Switzerland

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Switzerland does not have a national honour system. Enshrined in the 1848 Swiss Constitution in Article 12 was a prohibition on the acceptance of honours and titles by Swiss citizens. [1] In the current Swiss constitution there is no specific prohibition on titles and orders, however there is a statute that covers the prohibition previously covered by Article 12.

Contents

The Swiss military maintains a system of awards which recognize length of service, training, sports, and mission participation. [2]

Award ribbons

Length of Service Decorations

Length of Service Decoration
EmblemNameRemarks
CHE Length of service decoration.svg Length of Service Decoration
German : Dienstleistungsabzeichen
French : Insigne de prestation de service
Italian : Distintivi del servizio		This ribbon is worn with a series of rosettes to indicate total length of service. No rosette indicates 90 days of service.
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Bronze.svg Length of Service Decoration170 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Bronze.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Bronze.svg Length of Service Decoration250 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Bronze.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Bronze.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Bronze.svg Length of Service Decoration350 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Silver.svg Length of Service Decoration450 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Silver.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Silver.svg Length of Service Decoration550 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Silver.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Silver.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Silver.svg Length of Service Decoration650 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Gold.svg Length of Service Decoration750 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Gold.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Gold.svg Length of Service Decoration850 days service
CHE Length of service decoration.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Gold.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Gold.svg CHE Ribbons Rosette Gold.svg Length of Service Decoration950 days service

Exceptional service

EmblemNameRemarks
CHE CdA decoration.svg Exceptional service
German : Ausserordentliche Leistung
French : Prestation exceptionnelle
Italian : Prestazione eccezionale		The award is given for:
  1. outstanding merits for the position and prestige of the Swiss Army;
  2. particularly exemplary, brave and courageous behavior:
    • lifesaving or assistance under difficult conditions;
    • fulfillment of service duty despite obvious danger;
    • extraordinarily brave behavior.

This award is personally given by the Chief of the Armed Forces for outstanding achievements.

Decorations

These ribbons are worn in place of the older Sugus type badges (called that way because of their sugus-like rectangular shape and because a decoration is like a sweet). Exception: the former Alpine Insignia looked different and was replaced by the sugus type.

Alpine Insignia
EmblemNameRemarks
CHE Alpine Decoration.png Alpine Decoration
German : Hochgebirgsabzeichen
French : Insigne de haute montagne
Italian : Distintivo d’alta montagna		This replaced the Alpine Badge previously issued by the Swiss Army. The Alpine Decoration is awarded to those members of the Swiss Army who have received specialist training in mountain warfare and rescue.
Skill-at-arms Decorations
CHE Skill-at-arms decoration Assault rifle level 1.png Assault Rifle, Level 1
German : Sturmgewehr Stufe 1
French : Fusil d’assaut degré 1
Italian : Fucile d’assalto grado 1
CHE Skill-at-arms decoration Assault rifle level 2.png Assault Rifle, Level 2
German : Sturmgewehr Stufe 2
French : Fusil d’assaut degré 2
Italian : Fucile d’assalto grado 2
CHE Skill-at-arms decoration Pistol level 1.png Pistol, Level 1
German : Pistole Stufe 1
French : Pistolet degré 1
Italian : Pistola grado 1
CHE Skill-at-arms decoration Pistol level 2.png Pistol, Level 2
German : Pistole Stufe 2
French : Pistolet degré 2
Italian : Pistola grado 2
Training Decorations
CHE Training decoration Buddy Aid NBC Defence.png Buddy Aid/NBC Defence
German : Kameradenhilfe/ABC Abwehr
French : Aide au camarade/défense ABC
Italian : Aiuto al camerata/difesa NBC
CHE Training Decoration Coxswain.png Coxswain
German : Wasserfahrer
French : Navigateur
Italian : Battelliere
CHE Training Decoration Pointer.png Pointer (weapon)
German : Richter
French : Pointeur (arme)
Italian : Puntatore (arma)
Sports Decorations
CHE Military Sports decoration, first class.png Military sport 1
German : Militärsport 1
French : Sport militaire 1
Italian : Sport militare 1
CHE Military Sports decoration, second class.png Military sport 2
German : Militärsport 2
French : Sport militaire 2
Italian : Sport militare 2
CHE Military Sports competition decoration.png Military sports competition
German : Militärsport Wettkampfauszeichnung
French : Compétition de sport militaire
Italian : Sport militare competitivo

Mission insignia

Service within Switzerland
EmblemNameRemarks
CHE Mission Insignia Operations within Switzerland.png Operations within Switzerland
German : Inland-Einsätze
French : Engagements à l’intérieur du pays
Italian : Impieghi in Svizzera		Awarded for 5 consecutive days of "Assistenzdienst", e.g. at the Annual WEF Meeting Davos. Update this ribbon can be awarded with silver or gold rosettes depending on the duration of the assignment.
Service abroad
CHE Operations abroad Kosovo (SWISSCOY).png Kosovo Mission InsigniaAwarded for 150 days of service as a member of the Swisscoy. [3]
CHE Operations abroad Bosnia-Herzegovina (SHQSU).png Bosnia-Herzegovina Mission InsigniaAwarded for 150 days of service with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Swiss Headquarters Support Unit (SHQSU) to Bosnia-Herzegovina. [3] This medal is no longer awarded for service in Bosnia and Herzegovina, instead the Operations abroad Peace Support is given to military staff members.
CHE Operations abroad Korea (NNSC).png Korea Mission InsigniaAwarded for 150 days of service with the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. [3]
CHE Operations abroad Namibia (GANUPT).png Namibia Mission InsigniaAwarded for 150 days of service with the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG). [3]
CHE Operations abroad Western Sahara (MINURSO).png Western Sahara Mission InsigniaAwarded for 150 days of service with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). [3]
CHE Operations abroad Peace Support.png Peace Support Mission InsigniaAwarded for 150 days of service in peace support operations outside of the framework of an international organization. Like missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and all UN missions with UNMAS as a Swiss In-Kind (seconded to the United Nations). [3]
CHE Operations abroad UN Military Observer.png UN Military Observer Mission InsigniaAwarded for 150 days of service as a military observer with a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission. [3]
CHE Partnership for Peace Mission Insignia.png Partnership for Peace Mission InsigniaAwarded for service with NATO Partnership for Peace. [4]
CHE Long leave for military duties abroad.png Long Leave for Military Duties Abroad
German : Lange Ausland-Abkommandierung
French : Service commandé de longue durée à l’étranger
Italian : Servizi comandati prolungati		Awarded for at least 150 training days service in a training course of a foreign army as part of the "LAK" program. [4]
CHE UNO OSZE Mandate.png UNO OSCE OTAN Mandates Mission Badge ExampleBecause of the diversity, all portraits of the ribbons of the UNO / OSCE mandates are not illustrated. [5]

Off-duty activities

EmblemNameRemarks
CHE Off-duty activities ribbon level 1.png Off-duty activity, level 1
German : Ausserdienstliche Tätigkeit Stufe 1
French : Activité hors du service degré 1
Italian : Attività fuori del servizio livello 1		For recognized activities with military umbrella organizations and societies.
CHE Off-duty activities ribbon level 2.png Off-duty activity, level 2
German : Ausserdienstliche Tätigkeit Stufe 2
French : Activité hors du service degré 2
Italian : Attività fuori del servizio livello 2		Further recognized activities and leadership within a military umbrella organization or society.
Ribbon-Ausserdienstliche-Taetigkeit-stufe-3.jpg Off-duty activity, level 3
German : Ausserdienstliche Tätigkeit Stufe 3
French : Activité hors du service degré 3
Italian : Attività fuori del servizio livello 3		Reaching level 1 and level 2 is not required. 6 years of active membership in a board of directors of a military society or an umbrella organization of its associations or sections.

Source: [6]

Order of wear

Awards are worn on the uniform as ribbon bars in rows of three, with a maximum of nine ribbons worn at a time. When the top row of ribbons is less than three, they are worn to the wearers left. [2] Only the highest level of award received is worn. The ribbons are worn in the following order: [4]

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References

  1. ↑ "Bundesverfassung der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft (1848)" (in Swiss German). Verfassungen.de. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 Armed Forces Logistics Organisation AFLO, ed. (2008). Insignia of the Swiss Armed Forces (PDF). Bern: Swiss Armed Forces. pp. 69–77. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Insignes remis pour les missions accomplies à l'étranger dans le cadre de la promotion de la paix" (in French). Promotion de la Paix - Centre de compétences SWISSINT. Archived from the original on 1 January 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "Reglement 51.009d" (PDF) (in German). Schweizer Armee. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "UNO / OSZE Mandate". Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  6. ↑ "Auszeichnung Ausserdienstliche Tätigkeiten" [Award Off-duty activity](PDF). sog.ch (PDF; 822 KB) (in German). 2015-11-15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
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