France – Order of National Merit
The French Order of National Merit (Ordre national du Mérite) membership is awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order’s establishment was to replace the large number of ministerial orders previously awarded by the ministries and to create an award that could be awarded at a lower level than the Legion of Honour, which is generally reserved for French citizens.
The Order has five classes:
Three ranks:
Commander (Commandeur): minimum of 5 years in the rank of Officer (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after five years in the rank of Officer)
Officer (Officier): minimum of 5 years in the rank of Knight (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after seven years in the rank of Knight)
Knight (Chevalier): to be of a minimum age of 35, have a minimum of 10 years of public service (although, in practice, 15 years is the minimum commonly needed to be conferred the rank of Knight), and “distinguished merits” (for active duty commissioned officers, this is achieved after fifteen years of meritorious service)
Two additional dignities:
Grand Cross (Grand-Croix): minimum 3 years in the rank of Grand Officer
Grand Officer (Grand Officier): minimum 3 years in the rank of Commande
Knight (Chevalier)
Major Joseph Bernard Alain Couture