Belgian Military Decoration for Long Service (Militair Ereteken voor Dienstanciënniteit) (Price Per Piece)

Original Belgian Military Decoration for Long Service (Militair Ereteken voor Dienstanciënniteit / Décoration Militaire). The Military Decoration (Militair Ereteken) is an official Belgian military award established by Royal Decree on 22 December 1873. It is awarded to non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel and exists in two distinct categories, each recognizing different forms of service.

Informative: Belgian Military Decoration comes in two versions:

1. Long Service (Dienstanciënniteit)

• Awarded to NCOs and enlisted personnel

• Second Class: after 10 years of service

• First Class: after an additional 5 years

• Not awarded to officers (who instead receive the Military Cross)

2. Exceptional Service / Gallantry (Buitengewone Dienst)

• Awarded for acts of courage, devotion, or distinguished service

• Can be granted for a single notable act

• Also awarded to naval personnel after 20 years of service at sea

• May exceptionally be awarded in First Class

• Can be awarded to foreign non-commissioned personnel

All awards are granted by Royal Decree and officially published in the Belgian State Gazette.

Design & Characteristics

The decoration is identical across both categories and classes:

• Form: Cross pattée with four rays between each arm, surmounted by a royal crown

• Obverse: Belgian lion with the motto:

  • “L’Union fait la Force” (pre-1952)

  • “L’Union fait la Force – Eendracht maakt macht” (post-1952)

• Reverse:

  • Pre-1952: Royal monogram (Leopold II, Albert I, or Leopold III) with “Armée Mérite Ancienneté”

  • Post-1952: Belgian lion only

Ribbon Variants

The two categories are distinguished by their ribbons:

• Long Service:
  17 narrow vertical stripes in Belgian national colors (red, yellow, black), with red on the outer edges

• Exceptional Service / Gallantry:
  Red ribbon with Belgian tricolor edges (red outermost)

Additional distinctions:

• First Class: indicated by a chevron on the ribbon

• Wartime award (Article 4): may include a silver palm with royal monogram

Order of Precedence & Wear

• Worn after the decorations of the National Orders

• Takes precedence over the Military Cross (as it was established earlier)

• If both categories are awarded, the gallantry version takes precedence

• NCOs promoted to officer rank may continue to wear the decoration until eligible for the Military Cross

A highly collectible and historically important Belgian decoration, valued for both its longevity and its dual recognition of service and bravery.

Note: Price Per Piece! The one with the wrong ribbon (on the right, will be discounted to 10 EUR instead of 15 EUR – if you want this one, add it in the purchase note)