Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic
Encyclopedia
The Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic was established on 16 December 1996. The decoration is presented in three classes, and is the highest award bestowed by the Minister of Defence.
as well as civilian employees. The cross is presented to recognize heroism, leadership during combat, and for noteworthy service in combat activities. The cross may also awarded for commanding troops during peacetime, exceptionally performing service or assigned duties, serving as a meritorious example of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, and for other notable acts of merit performed supporting the Defence department.
The Minister may also present the cross to citizens of foreign nations. The conditions for the award are for notably serving in cooperation with the Defence department, supporting combat readiness in the Czech military, and for activities in support of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.
40 mm wide, with linden leaves pointing out superimposed on each arm of the cross. In the center is a circular medallion 15 mm in diameter. The obverse
of the medallion depicts the head of a lion, as found on the Czech coat of arms
. On the reverse side the medallion contains a Spanish shield divided in half. In the upper field is the upper half of the crowned Czech lion, in the lower field are two crossed swords.
The cross is made of gold colored metal for the first class, the second class is in silver colored metal, and the third class is bronze in appearance. The cross is suspended from a light green ribbon 38 mm wide. The ribbon has thin stripes of green, blue, red and white at one edge and white, red, blue, and green on the other.
The ribbon bars of the various classes are differentiated by a miniature of the cross attached to the ribbon in the appropriate colored metal.
Criteria
The decoration may be presented to soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Czech RepublicMilitary of the Czech Republic
The Army of the Czech Republic comprise the land forces, the Czech Air Force and support units. From the late 1940s to 1989, the extensive Czechoslovak Armed Forces formed one of the pillars of the Warsaw Pact military alliance...
as well as civilian employees. The cross is presented to recognize heroism, leadership during combat, and for noteworthy service in combat activities. The cross may also awarded for commanding troops during peacetime, exceptionally performing service or assigned duties, serving as a meritorious example of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, and for other notable acts of merit performed supporting the Defence department.
The Minister may also present the cross to citizens of foreign nations. The conditions for the award are for notably serving in cooperation with the Defence department, supporting combat readiness in the Czech military, and for activities in support of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.
Appearance
The decoration is a straight armed cross pattéeCross pattée
A cross pattée is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the centre, and broader at the perimeter. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper A cross pattée (or "cross patty", known also as "cross formée/formy") is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the...
40 mm wide, with linden leaves pointing out superimposed on each arm of the cross. In the center is a circular medallion 15 mm in diameter. The obverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
of the medallion depicts the head of a lion, as found on the Czech coat of arms
Coat of arms of the Czech Republic
The coat of arms of the Czech Republic displays the three historical regions—the Czech lands—which make up the nation:The arms of Bohemia show a silver double-tailed lion on a red background1. The Bohemian Lion is repeated in the lower-left-hand side of the coat of arms...
. On the reverse side the medallion contains a Spanish shield divided in half. In the upper field is the upper half of the crowned Czech lion, in the lower field are two crossed swords.
The cross is made of gold colored metal for the first class, the second class is in silver colored metal, and the third class is bronze in appearance. The cross is suspended from a light green ribbon 38 mm wide. The ribbon has thin stripes of green, blue, red and white at one edge and white, red, blue, and green on the other.
The ribbon bars of the various classes are differentiated by a miniature of the cross attached to the ribbon in the appropriate colored metal.
Notable recipients
- Wesley ClarkWesley ClarkWesley Kanne Clark, Sr., is a retired general of the United States Army. Graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1966 at West Point, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and later graduated from the...
- Karl EikenberryKarl EikenberryKarl Winfrid Eikenberry is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General and former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.-Education:Eikenberry graduated from Goldsboro High School in Goldsboro, North Carolina in 1969 and then attended West Point, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon...
- Štefan FüleŠtefan FüleŠtefan Füle is a Czech politician and diplomat, since 2009 European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy in the second Barroso Commission.- Early life :...
- Jana HybáškováJana HybáškováJana Hybášková is a Czech politician and diplomat, serving as the Ambassador of the European Union in Iraq . From 2004 to 2009, she was a Member of the European Parliament for the European People's Party...
- Gregory S. MartinGregory S. MartinGeneral Gregory S. Martin was a U.S. Air Force general and Commander, Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Martin was a command pilot with more than 4,600 flying hours in various aircraft, including the F-4, F-15, C-20 and C-21...
- David PetraeusDavid PetraeusDavid Howell Petraeus is the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, sworn in on September 6, 2011. Prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, Petraeus was a four-star general serving over 37 years in the United States Army. His last assignments in the Army were as commander...
- Vlastimil PicekVlastimil PicekVlastimil Picek is the current Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. He is the fourth person and the first member of Czech Air Force to serve at this position. He was appointed by President Václav Klaus and took office on 1 March 2007.- Education :He graduated from...