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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 





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other than service being re- 

 quired; it is therefore classed 

 as a service medal. 



A badge is given to show 

 excellence or qualifications in 

 small arms, swordsmanship, 

 aviation, etc. From these defi- 

 nitions it can be seen that a 

 decoration is the highest dis- 

 tinction and takes precedence 

 over both service medals and 

 badges, which follow in that 

 order. 



ORDERS, A CLASS 0E DECORA- 

 TION FOREIGN TO AMERICA 



In most foreign countries 

 there is an additional class 

 coming ahead of decorations, 

 namely, orders. They are the 

 lineal descendants of the old 

 orders of chivalry of the Mid- 

 dle Ages, and while they are 

 given for individual services, 

 just as are decorations, there 

 is the difference that an order 

 is virtually a society and the 

 honor conferred is that of be- 

 ing made a member of the so- 

 ciety. The insignia is worn 

 as a visible evidence of such 

 membership, while in the case 

 of a decoration it is the orna- 

 ment itself which is the dis- 

 tinction awarded. 



Most orders are divided into 

 several classes, corresponding 

 to the different ranks of the 

 members of the old chivalric 

 orders, and the class possessed 

 by any individual depends on 

 the relative value of the serv- 

 ices which it is desired to re- 

 ward. The class is shown by 

 the insignia worn. 



The United States possesses 

 no orders and our regulations 

 make no distinction between 

 orders and decorations, the 

 latter term covering both, but 

 some idea of the difference 

 made by other nations is es- 

 sential to a proper understand- 

 ing of the subject. 



While some medals and dec- 

 orations are made in the form 



