Legion of Merit (www.USAFSecurity.com)

U.S. Air Force Security

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Legion of Merit Medal and Ribbon

		Legion of Merit Medal Ribbon
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.



The decoration is issued both to United States military personnel and to military and political figures of foreign governments.

			Legion of Merit Medal
The Legion of Merit is one of only three United States decorations to be issued as a neck order (the others being the Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom), and the only United States decoration which may be issued in award degrees (much like an Order of chivalry or certain Orders of Merit).





■	The degrees of Chief Commander, Commander, Officer, and Legionnaire are awarded only to members of armed forces of foreign nations under the criteria outlined in US Army Regulation 672-7 and is based on the relative rank or position of the recipient as follows:




•	Chief Commander - Chief of State or Head of Government.
•	Chief Commander - Chief of State or Head of Government.

•	Commander - Equivalent of an U.S. military Chief of Staff or higher position but not to Chief of State.
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•	Officer - General or Flag Officer below the equivalent of a U.S. military Chief of Staff; Colonel or equivalent rank for service in assignments equivalent to those normally held by a General or Flag Officer in U.S. military service; or Military Attaches.





•	Legionnaire - All recipients not included above.

•	The Legion of Merit is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States without reference to degree for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.






■	The performance must have been such as to merit recognition of key individuals for service rendered in a clearly exceptional manner.
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■	Performance of duties normal to the grade, branch, specialty or assignment, and experience of an individual is not an adequate basis for this award.
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■	For service not related to actual war the term “key individual” applies to a narrower range of positions than in time of war and requires evidence of significant achievement.
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■	In peacetime, service should be in the nature of a special requirement or of an extremely difficult duty performed in an unprecedented and clearly exceptional manner.
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■	However, justification of the award may accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of important positions.
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■	The degrees and the design of the decoration were clearly influenced by the French Légion d'honneur.

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