Military Order of Italy

It is bestowed by decree of the President of the Italian Republic, head of the order, on the recommendation of the Minister of Defence.

• Name — Military Order of Italy • Native Name — Ordine Militare d'Italia • Awarded By — the Italian Republic • Type — Order of chivalry • Country — Italy • Eligibility — Military personnel • Criteria — Valour • Status — Currently constituted • Head Title — Grand Master • Head — President of the Republic • Head2 Title — Chancellor • Head2 — Minister of Defence • Grades — * Knight Grand Cross • Grand Officer • Commander • Officer • Knight • Post Nominals — OMI • Website — https: www.quirinale.it/page/omi • Higher — Order of Merit of the Italian Republic • Lower — Order of Merit for Labour

Recipients of the Ordine militare di Savoia were transferred retaining their existing accoutrements and seniority. • Illustration — The insignia of a Military Knight of Italy The various degrees of the order, which may be conferred posthumously, are as follows: • Monarchy — Republic — Class (English) — Full title in Italian • — — 1st Class / Knight Grand Cross — Cavaliere di Gran Croce dell'Ordine militare d'Italia • — — 2nd Class / Grand Officer — Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine militare d'Italia • — — 3rd Class / Commander — Commendatore dell'Ordine militare d'Italia • — — 4th Class / Officer — Ufficiale dell'Ordine militare d'Italia • — — 5th Class / Knight — Cavaliere dell'Ordine militare d'Italia The lowest of these may also be awarded for peacetime actions.

• The badge is a golden matuna cross, enamelled in white, with a wreath of green-enamelled laurel and oak leaves between the arms of the cross. Officers and Knights wear this badge on a ribbon on the left chest. Commanders and Grand Officers wear it on a necklet. • The obverse central disc during the monarchy was red enamel with a white enamel cross. The current version is in white enamel with the letters R.I. (for Repubblica Italiana). In both cases the disc is surrounded by a red enamel ring bearing the inscription Al Merito Militare. • The reverse central disc is in red enamel with crossed swords. During the monarchy it had the letters V.E. (for Vittorio Emanuele) on the sides of the sword and the year 1855 above it. The current version has no cypher but has the additional year 1947, the date of the promulgation of the Italian constitution, below the swords. • The badge for the three higher classes are suspended by a wreath of green-enamelled laurel and oak leaves; the Officer's badge is suspended by a golden trophy of arms instead and the Knight's badge has neither emblems. • The star is an eight-pointed faceted silver star with the badge (without suspension) at the centre. This is worn by Knights Grand Cross and Grand Officers only. • The ribbon is blue—red—blue in equal dimensions. • Knights Grand Cross wear a sash with the badge of the order suspended from it.