Belgium – Order of the Crown – Golden Palms

Description

The Belgian Order of the Crown is awarded in five classes, plus two palms and three medals.

Golden Palms, which wears a wreath of golden palms, is worn on a ribbon on the left chest.

The ribbon of the palms and medals has a vertical white border on both sides as well as a metal pin showing a reduction of the palm or medal.

The Order of the Crown is mostly awarded to military personnel on the basis of their length of service, although exceptions to that rule exist where the order is presented to military personnel for exceptional or meritorious service. (e.g. the Chief of Defence is commonly presented with the Grand Cross after 1 or 2 years of service as CHOD). When officers are considered for the award based on their length of service, their years of service in a non-officer’s rank count for half. The first twelve years of service as a member of the flying personnel counts double. 

Golden Palms: Awarded after 25 years of meritorious service to a non-commissioned officer, and after 35 years of service for a private or corporal.