Decorations

Decorations of the Order

Decorations are the result of honors and presented as accolades, bars, brevets, certificates, medals, patches, and pins to recognize the achievement or to commemorate being part of a distinguished or otherwise noteworthy order.

Brevets

In many of the world's military establishments, a brevet was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct, but without conferring the authority, precedence, or pay of a real rank. An officer so promoted was referred to as being brevetted (for example, "he was brevetted"). The promotion would be noted in the officer's title (for example, "Brevet Colonel Joshua L. Smith").

Brevets are also considered to be decorations that can be earned for actions, conduct, or gained as forms of recognition for years of service such as decorations like bars, pins or medals in chivalry.

Medals

A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for sporting, military, scientific, cultural, academic, or various other achievements. Military awards and decorations are more precise terms for certain types of state decoration. Medals may also be created for sale to commemorate particular individuals or events, or as works of artistic expression in their own right. In the past, medals commissioned for an individual, typically with their portrait, were often used as a form of diplomatic or personal gift, with no sense of being an award for the conduct of the recipient.