The Medal for the Military Protection of the Territory (or “Médaille de la protection militaire du territoire” in French) is a French state decoration established on 13 July 2015 by presidential decree 2015-853 and awarded to military personnel of the French Armed Forces for service during national security operations on French national territory.
It was created to recognize service following the need for an increased military presence during national security operations following the rise of international terrorism and the many incidents in France over the past years.
The Minister of Defense is responsible for the administration of the medal and will determine by decree:
- the operations giving the right to the award of the medal and its related clasp;
- the dates during the same operations that give the right to the award of the medal and its related clasp;
- the minimum number of days served during the same operations giving the right to the award of the medal and its related clasp.
In exceptional circumstances, the Minister of Defense may award the medal and its related clasp to soldiers killed or wounded during one of these operations.
The Medal for Military Protection of the Territory Design
The Medal for the Military Protection of the Territory is a 30 mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze.
Its obverse bears the effigy of the Republic with the relief inscription above “RÉPUBLIQUE” and below “FRANÇAISE” (“FRENCH REPUBLIC”). The reverse bears the relief inscription on five lines “MÉDAILLE” “DE LA” “PROTECTION MILITAIRE” “DU” “TERRITOIRE” (“MEDAL” “FOR THE” “MILITARY PROTECTION” “OF THE” “TERRITORY”).
The medal hangs from a 38 mm wide silk moiré ribbon passing through a ring through the medal’s ball-shaped suspension loop. The ribbon bears the national colors of France in the following pattern: 14 mm wide blue vertical central stripe bordered by white 8 mm wide stripes with 5 mm wide red edge stripes.
The medal is always awarded with a clasp and multiple clasps may be worn simultaneously. Five clasps are currently approved for wear on the ribbon of the Medal for the Military Protection of the Territory:
- SENTINELLE for participation in Opération Sentinelle;
- HARPIE for effective participation in the “Harpie” mission;
- TRIDENT for effective participation in military surveillance and protection missions of French airspace, waters and land areas between 1 July 2013 to a date not yet specified.
- JUPITER for effective participation in military surveillance and protection missions by strategic forces between 1 July 2013 to a date not yet specified.
- ÉGIDE for effective participation in the military protection of military assets, public and state buildings, of international organizations and diplomatic and consular missions between 1 July 2013 to a date not yet specified.
