Cross of Military Merit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cross of Military Merit
Template of the Cross Military Merit Decorations
Type	Decoration of merit (formerly order of merit)
Eligibility	Military personnel, Guardia Civil, civilian personnel
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	3 August 1864
Precedence
Next (higher)	Medalla del Ejército
Equivalent	Cross of Naval Merit Cross of Aeronautical Merit
Next (lower)	Distinguished Service Award (Without Insignia) Mention in Dispatches (Without Insignia) Royal and Military Order of St Hermenegild

The Cross of Military Merit (which in Spanish is called Cruces del Mérito Militar) is a special award from Spain. It's given to people in the Spanish Armed Forces (like soldiers and sailors), the Guardia Civil (a police force), and even regular citizens. This award recognizes brave actions or great service, whether during wartime or in times of peace.

What the Cross Looks Like

The Cross of Military Merit is shaped like a Greek cross. This means all its arms are the same length. The arms of the cross are colored differently depending on why the award is given.

Colors of the Cross

• Red Decoration: This cross has bright red arms. It's given for bravery or great service during a war or armed conflict.
• White Decoration: This cross has white arms. It's for service in peacetime or for actions that don't involve direct fighting.
• Blue Decoration: This cross has white arms with thin blue bars across them. It's given for actions that help keep peace, like working with international forces.
• Yellow Decoration: This cross also has white arms but with thin yellow bars. It's for actions where someone is hurt or dies while serving.

Special Features of the Cross

The top arm of the cross has a Spanish royal crown on it. Below the crown, there's a small space where the date the award was given can be carved.

In the middle of the cross, there's a round shield. This shield shows the coats of arms of different historical regions of Spain, like Castile, León, Aragon, Navarre, and Granada. In the very center, there's a blue oval shield with the symbol of the House of Bourbon-Anjou, which is the royal family of Spain.

On the back of the cross, you'll see the letters "MM" on a red background. These letters stand for Mérito Militar, which means "Military Merit."

How the Cross is Worn

The Cross of Military Merit is worn on a ribbon on the left side of a person's chest. If someone receives the award more than once, a small bar with the date of the new award is added to the ribbon.

The Grand Cross

There's also a higher version of the award called the Grand Cross. This cross looks similar but is larger. It's worn on a wide sash that goes over the right shoulder.

People who receive the Grand Cross also get a special star. This star is gold and has eight points, with the cross placed on top of it. Today, between the arms of the cross on the star, you can see alternating towers (representing Castile) and lions (representing León).

Images for kids

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  Grand Cross – Red Decoration

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  Grand Cross – Red Decoration (Ribbon)

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  Grand Cross – Blue Decoration

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  Grand Cross – Blue Decoration (Ribbon)

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  Grand Cross – Yellow Decoration

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  Grand Cross – Yellow Decoration (Ribbon)

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  Grand Cross – White Decoration

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  Grand Cross – White Decoration (Ribbon)

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  Cross – Red Decoration

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  Cross – Red Decoration (Ribbon)

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  Cross – Blue Decoration

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  Cross – Blue Decoration (Ribbon)

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  Cross – Yellow Decoration

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  Cross – Yellow Decoration (Ribbon)

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  Cross – White Decoration

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  Cross – White Decoration (Ribbon)

Related Awards

• Cross of Naval Merit (Spain)
• Cross of Aeronautical Merit (Spain)

See also

In Spanish: Cruces del Mérito Militar para niños