France - 3rd Republic military medal
The Military Medal was created by Emperor Louis
Napoleon in 1852 to be awarded specifically to
non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and soldiers
for completion of 8 years of military service, for
bravery in front of the enemy as well as for acts
of courage and devotion to duty.
The Military Medal ranks 3rd among the Orders
and Decorations of the French Republic, being
inferior only to the Order of the National Legion
of Honor, and to the Order of the Liberation.