French citizens as well as foreign nationals, men and women, can be received into the order for distinguished military or civil achievements, though of a lesser level than that required for the award of the
Legion of Honour. The
President of the French Republic is the
Grand Master of the order and appoints all its members by convention on the advice of the
Government of France. The order has a common
Chancellor and Chancery with the Legion of Honour. Every
Prime Minister of France is made a
Grand Cross of the order after 6 months of service.[5]Jacques Chirac, who would later serve as president, was the first prime minister to receive the Grand Cross of the order ex officio.
Commander (Commandeur): minimum of 5 years in the rank of Officer (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after five years in the rank of Officer)
Officer (Officier): minimum of 5 years in the rank of Knight (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after seven years in the rank of Knight)
Knight (Chevalier): to be of a minimum age of 35, have a minimum of 10 years of public service (although, in practice, 15 years is the minimum commonly needed to be conferred the rank of Knight), and "distinguished merits" (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after fifteen years of meritorious service)
Two additional dignities:
Grand Cross (Grand-Croix): minimum 3 years in the rank of Grand Officer
Grand Officer (Grand Officier): minimum 3 years in the rank of Commande
Insignia
Knight – wears the Medal on the left chest (bow form for women in dress)
Officer – wears the Medal with
rosette on the left chest (bow form for women in dress)
Commander – wears the necklet on the neck for men and women (left shoulder in bow form for women in dress)
Grand Officer – wears the Medal with
rosette on the left chest, plus the Star on the right side of the stomach;
Grand Cross – wears the Sash on the right shoulder to the left hip and the Star on the left side of the stomach.
The medal and the plaque of the Order were designed by the French sculptor
Max Leognany.[3]
The
ribbon for the medal is a solid blue field. For the grade of Officier and above, a rosette is centered in the field. For the grades of Commandeur, Grand Officier, and Grand-Croix, the rosette is centered bar of silver; silver and gold, and a solid gold respectively.
French citizens as well as foreign nationals, men and women, can be received into the order for distinguished military or civil achievements, though of a lesser level than that required for the award of the
Legion of Honour. The
President of the French Republic is the
Grand Master of the order and appoints all its members by convention on the advice of the
Government of France. The order has a common
Chancellor and Chancery with the Legion of Honour. Every
Prime Minister of France is made a
Grand Cross of the order after 6 months of service.[5]Jacques Chirac, who would later serve as president, was the first prime minister to receive the Grand Cross of the order ex officio.
Commander (Commandeur): minimum of 5 years in the rank of Officer (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after five years in the rank of Officer)
Officer (Officier): minimum of 5 years in the rank of Knight (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after seven years in the rank of Knight)
Knight (Chevalier): to be of a minimum age of 35, have a minimum of 10 years of public service (although, in practice, 15 years is the minimum commonly needed to be conferred the rank of Knight), and "distinguished merits" (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after fifteen years of meritorious service)
Two additional dignities:
Grand Cross (Grand-Croix): minimum 3 years in the rank of Grand Officer
Grand Officer (Grand Officier): minimum 3 years in the rank of Commande
Insignia
Knight – wears the Medal on the left chest (bow form for women in dress)
Officer – wears the Medal with
rosette on the left chest (bow form for women in dress)
Commander – wears the necklet on the neck for men and women (left shoulder in bow form for women in dress)
Grand Officer – wears the Medal with
rosette on the left chest, plus the Star on the right side of the stomach;
Grand Cross – wears the Sash on the right shoulder to the left hip and the Star on the left side of the stomach.
The medal and the plaque of the Order were designed by the French sculptor
Max Leognany.[3]
The
ribbon for the medal is a solid blue field. For the grade of Officier and above, a rosette is centered in the field. For the grades of Commandeur, Grand Officier, and Grand-Croix, the rosette is centered bar of silver; silver and gold, and a solid gold respectively.