Military awards and decorations of Switzerland
Switzerland does not have a national honour system. Enshrined in the 1848 Swiss Constitution in Article 12 was a prohibition on the acceptance of honours and titles by Swiss citizens.[1] In the current Swiss constitution there is no specific prohibition on titles and orders, however there is a statute that covers the prohibition previously covered by Article 12.
The Swiss military maintains a system of awards which recognize length of service, training, sports, and mission participation.[2]
Award ribbons
Length of Service Decorations
| Length of Service Decoration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Emblem | Name | Remarks |
 | Length of Service Decoration German: Dienstleistungsabzeichen French: Insigne de prestation de service Italian: Distintivi del servizio | This ribbon is worn with a series of rosettes to indicate total length of service. No rosette indicates 90 days of service. |
 | Length of Service Decoration | 170 days service |
| Length of Service Decoration | 250 days service |
| Length of Service Decoration | 350 days service |
 | Length of Service Decoration | 450 days service |
| Length of Service Decoration | 550 days service |
| Length of Service Decoration | 650 days service |
 | Length of Service Decoration | 750 days service |
| Length of Service Decoration | 850 days service |
| Length of Service Decoration | 950 days service |
Decorations
These ribbons are worn in place of the older Sugus type badges (called that way because of their sugus-like rectangular shape and because a decoration is like a sweet). Exception: the former Alpine Insignia looked different and was replaced by the sugus type.
| Alpine Insignia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Emblem | Name | Remarks |
 | Alpine Decoration German: Hochgebirgsabzeichen French: Insigne de haute montagne Italian: Distintivo d’alta montagna | This replaced the Alpine Badge previously issued by the Swiss Army. The Alpine Decoration is awarded to those members of the Swiss Army who have received specialist training in mountain warfare and rescue. |
| Skill-at-arms Decorations | ||
 | Assault Rifle, Level 1 German: Sturmgewehr Stufe 1 French: Fusil d’assaut degré 1 Italian: Fucile d’assalto grado 1 | |
 | Assault Rifle, Level 2 German: Sturmgewehr Stufe 2 French: Fusil d’assaut degré 2 Italian: Fucile d’assalto grado 2 | |
 | Pistol, Level 1 German: Pistole Stufe 1 French: Pistolet degré 1 Italian: Pistola grado 1 | |
 | Pistol, Level 2 German: Pistole Stufe 2 French: Pistolet degré 2 Italian: Pistola grado 2 | |
| Training Decorations | ||
 | Buddy Aid/NBC Defence German: Kameradenhilfe/ABC Abwehr French: Aide au camarade/défense ABC Italian: Aiuto al camerata/difesa NBC | |
 | Coxswain German: Wasserfahrer French: Navigateur Italian: Battelliere | |
 | Pointer (weapon) German: Richter French: Pointeur (arme) Italian: Puntatore (arma) | |
| Sports Decorations | ||
 | Military sport 1 German: Militärsport 1 French: Sport militaire 1 Italian: Sport militare 1 | |
 | Military sport 2 German: Militärsport 2 French: Sport militaire 2 Italian: Sport militare 2 | |
 | Military sports competition German: Militärsport Wettkampfauszeichnung French: Compétition de sport militaire Italian: Sport militare competitivo | |
Mission insignia
| Service within Switzerland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Emblem | Name | Remarks |
 | Operations within Switzerland German: Inland-Einsätze French: Engagements à l’intérieur du pays Italian: Impieghi in Svizzera | Awarded for 5 consecutive days of "Assistenzdienst", e.g. at the Annual WEF Meeting Davos |
| Service abroad | ||
.png.webp){kind=small} | Kosovo Mission Insignia | Awarded for 150 days of service as a member of the Swisscoy.[3] |
.png.webp){kind=small} | Bosnia-Herzegovina Mission Insignia | Awarded for 150 days of service with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Swiss Headquarters Support Unit (SHQSU) to Bosnia-Herzegovina.[3] |
.png.webp){kind=small} | Korea Mission Insignia | Awarded for 150 days of service with the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission.[3] |
.png.webp){kind=small} | Namibia Mission Insignia | Awarded for 150 days of service with the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG).[3] |
.png.webp){kind=small} | Western Sahara Mission Insignia | Awarded for 150 days of service with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).[3] |
 | Peace Support Mission Insignia | Awarded for 150 days of service in peace support operations outside of the framework of an international organization.[3] |
 | UN Military Observer Mission Insignia | Awarded for 150 days of service as a military observer with a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission.[3] |
 | Partnership for Peace Mission Insignia | Awarded for service with NATO Partnership for Peace.[4] |
 | Long Leave for Military Duties Abroad German: Lange Ausland-Abkommandierung French: Service commandé de longue durée à l’étranger Italian: Servizi comandati prolungati | Awarded for at least 150 training days service in a training course of a foreign army as part of the "LAK" program.[4] |
 | UNO OSCE Mandates Mission Badge Example | Because of the diversity, all portraits of the ribbons of the UNO / OSCE mandates are
not illustrated.[5] |
Off-duty activities
| Emblem | Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
 | Off-duty activity, level 1 German: Ausserdienstliche Tätigkeit Stufe 1 French: Activité hors du service degré 1 Italian: Attività fuori del servizio livello 1 | For recognized activities with military umbrella organizations and societies. |
 | Off-duty activity, level 2 German: Ausserdienstliche Tätigkeit Stufe 2 French: Activité hors du service degré 2 Italian: Attività fuori del servizio livello 2 | Further recognized activities and leadership within a military umbrella organization or society. |
Source:[6]
Order of wear
Awards are worn on the uniform as ribbon bars in rows of three, with a maximum of nine ribbons worn at a time. When the top row of ribbons is less than three, they are worn to the wearers left.[2] Only the highest level of award received is worn. The ribbons are worn in the following order:[4]
- Length of Service Decoration (max 1 Ribbon);
- Decorations:
- Alpine insignia
- Skill-at-arms Decorations
- Training Decorations
- Sports Decorations
- Mission Insignia:
- Operations within Switzerland (max 1 Ribbon)
- Operations Abroad;
- UN/OSCE Mandate Missions (max 1 per ribbon)
- Partnership for Peace Mission Insignia
- Long Leave for Military Duties Abroad (LAK)
References
- "Bundesverfassung der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft (1848)" (in Swiss German). Verfassungen.de. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- Armed Forces Logistics Organisation AFLO, ed. (2008). Insignia of the Swiss Armed Forces (PDF). Bern: Swiss Armed Forces. pp. 69–77. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- "Insignes remis pour les missions accomplies à l'étranger dans le cadre de la promotion de la paix" (in French). Promotion de la Paix - Centre de compétences SWISSINT. Archived from the original on 1 January 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- "Reglement 51.009d" (PDF) (in German). Schweizer Armee. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- "UNO / OSZE Mandate". Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- "Auszeichnung Ausserdienstliche Tätigkeiten" [Award Off-duty activity] (PDF). sog.ch (PDF; 822 KB) (in German). 2015-11-15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
External links
- Ribbons (Auszeichnungen) (German)
- Reglement Abzeichen der Schweizer Armee, 2018
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