Cross for Military Valour The Cross for Military Valour ( ) 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 . Grades of distinction . The medal is awarded for valour , at different levels . The distinctions are the same as the " Croix de Guerre " . Expansion . Before 2006 , the cross was only awarded by the suggestion of Ground Forces officers . Only members of the Ground Forces , or members of the other services who were working directly alongside or with them , were eligible . After the creation of Instruction n° 3900 / DEF / CAB / SDBC / DECO / A , award of the cross could be suggested by commissioned officers of the Sea Forces , Air Forces , and National Gendarmerie . It was also extended to include valourous acts or service committed by personnel in the Sea Forces , Air Forces , and National Gendarmerie while on combat operations . Award description . Medal : suspended from a ribbon is a 36 mm bronze cross , with the an effigy of the Republic crowned with a wreath , with the edge embossed : " REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE " . On the reverse is the inscription : " " Croix de la Valeur militaire " . " Ribbon : a red bar with three vertical white bands : a centered 7 mm band , with a smaller 2 mm band on each end . Recognised service for award . It was originally awarded for valourous service in Algeria from October 31 , 1954 to the final withdrawal of all French forces in 1967 . A Decision dated April 30 , 1956 extended its award to elsewhere in North Africa in the Protectorates of Tunisia ( from June 1 , 1953 to 1956 ) and Morocco ( from January 1 , 1953 to 1956 ) . A Decision of February 13 , 1957 granted its award for service in Mauritania . The period of eligibility was originally beginning from January 10 , 1957 and ending at an unspecified time . This was later set by another Decision to have eligibility end when independence was granted to Mauritania in November 1960 ) . It has since been granted for service in Recently it has been awarded for service in Libya ( from February 22 , 2011 to present ) .