Medal of Military Valour (MMV)
The official description, eligibility, criteria, and history of the Medal of Military Valour (MMV).
Context
Military Valour Decorations are national honours awarded to recognize acts of valour, self-sacrifice, or devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.
Military nominations shall be processed through the chain of command in accordance with A-AD-200-000/AG-000 - Honours, Flags and Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces.
Eligibility and criteria
A person is eligible to be awarded a Military Valour Decoration if that person, on or after 1 January 1993, is:
- a member of the Canadian Forces; or
- a member of an allied armed force that is serving with or in conjunction with the Canadian Forces.
The Medal of Military Valour shall be awarded for an act of valour or devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.
Description
A circular gold medal:
- On the obverse of which there shall be a maple leaf surrounded by a wreath of laurel:
- On the reverse of which the Royal Cypher and Crown and the inscription "PRO VALORE" shall appear; and
- On the edge of which shall be engraved the rank and name of the recipient.
The Medal is suspended by means of a gold straight suspension bar embellished with a fleur-de-lis motif.
The ribbon is 32 mm in width, crimson, and has three vertical white stripes 3mm in width. Note that the crimson colour is similar to that of the Victoria Cross ribbon.
The bar is a plain gold bar with a maple leaf in the centre.
Bar(s)
Each subsequent award of the Medal shall be indicated by the wearing of a bar.
Wearing
The Star shall be worn in sequence, as prescribed in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals Directive, 1998, and in the following manner:
- on the left breast, suspended from the ribbon described above, after the Meritorious Service Cross and before the Medal of Bravery;
- when a bar has been awarded it shall be attached to the centre of the ribbon from which the Medal is suspended, and where two or more bars are attached, those bars shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.
- Where the undress ribbon is worn, each award of the Medal shall be indicated by a gold maple leaf, and where two or more maple leaves are worn, those maple leaves shall be equally spaced on the ribbon.
Postnominals
A recipient is entitled to use the letters "MMV".
Historical notes
As of 31 December 2022, 90 awards have been made.
The recipients details are engraved on the rim of the Medal.
The insignia was designed by Captain Bruce Wilbur Beatty, CM, SOM, CD (Retired).
For more information on the history of the Medal of Military Valour, please consult the The Military Valour Decorations 1993-2018 [PDF, 8.13 MB] publication which celebrates the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Military Valour decorations by Her Majesty The Queen.
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