Distinguished Service Medal of the National People's Army

The Order of Merit of the National People's Army was a national award of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The medal was donated on 1 June 1956 in three stages. Your award was for outstanding achievements and commitment in building and strengthening of the National People's Army. Furthermore, for excellence in leadership and troops in the political and military training as well as the education of military personnel. Not least for excellence in the care, maintenance and repair as repair of technical equipment. The award of the medal could also be carried out on military collectives also to non- members of the NVA.

Levels of classification

The Foundation of the Order of Merit of the National People's Army took place in three stages. These were:

• Gold Level (highest level)
• Silver level ( middle level)
• Bronze level ( lowest level)

Appearance and structural manner

The bronze, silver plated or gold plated coin with a diameter of 35 mm showed on their obverse center three raised embossed heads, which represent the three branches of the armed forces of the NVA Ground Forces, People's Navy and Air Force, as well as the underlying letter GDR, which the left and right of is ever an oak branch flanked. Surrounded is the symbolism of the inscription: FOR OUTSTANDING MERIT ( above) NATIONAL PEOPLE'S ARMY (below). The reverse of the coin, however, shows the center the great emblem of the GDR with the inscription: FOR THE PROTECTION (top ) THE WORKERS AND FARMERS POWER ( below) and two at the bottom crossed upwardly open curved laurel branches. Was driven medal at the upper left side of the chest at a pentagonal pentagonal 25 mm wide red clip with a 3 -mm-wide black-red- gold trim. In silver and gold stage, a 2.5 mm wide strip of silver or gold agent is additionally woven.