Croix de La Valeur Militaire

The Cross for Military Valour (French: Croix de la Valeur Militaire) is a military decoration of France. It recognizes an individual bestowed a mention in Dispatches earned in theaters of operations which are not subject to the award of the War Cross for foreign operational theaters. The Cross for Military Valour is usually awarded for security or peacekeeping operations.

It was established in 1956 to reward soldiers, sailors, and airmen serving in Algeria who had committed acts of valor or gallantry in combat. Algeria was a department of France at the time, so it was not considered a declared war but peacekeeping operations on French soil. Therefore, the War Cross for foreign operational theaters, which had been awarded for valourous service in Indochina, was not considered appropriate. On April 11, 1956 Decree n° 56-371 authorized the creation of the Médaille de la Valeur Militaire and described its various grades of distinction akin the War Cross (denoted by metal stars and palms on the ribbon). It was reauthorized as a cross-shaped decoration, to put it on the same level as the Croix de guerre, by Decree n° 56-1048 on October 12, 1956.

On December 2, 2005 Decree n° 2005-1493 extended its issue to civilian employees of the Ministry of Defense on service outside France or in exterior theaters of operation.

On March 13, 2006 Instruction n° 3900/DEF/CAB/SDBC/DECO/A expanded its issue to military or civilian personnel who committed a valourous act or performed valourous service while involved in VIP protection, hostage rescue, intelligence gathering, or intelligence exploitation details outside France or in exterior theaters of operation. It also stated that only a Général d'armée (General of the Army), or the Chef d'état-major des Armées (Army Chief of Staff) could grant the Cross with Star decoration, but the Cross with Palm decoration was the purview of the Minister of Defense.

On November 9, 2011 Decree n° 2011-1466 authorized the award of the cross to members of allied civilian government or military forces who committed an act of valour or performed valourous service while on joint operations with French forces.