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What is this medal awarded for?

This medal honors soldiers who show great loyalty by serving for a long time. It was created in 2007 as part of the new Type 07 uniform system to recognize dedicated service. It shows that a soldier has done their job well and stayed committed to protecting China for many years. This award celebrates the steady work of people who serve in the armed forces.

How long do you have to serve to get bronze?

A soldier earns the bronze medal after finishing 10 years of honorable service. This marks the first big step in a long military career. It proves that the person has been a reliable member of the armed forces for a full decade. The bronze color represents the start of a soldier's long-term commitment to their country.

How do you earn the gold version?

The gold medal is a special reward for soldiers who complete 30 years of military duty. It is reserved for those who have spent most of their adult lives in the armed forces. It acts as a symbol of a lifetime spent being loyal and dedicated to the nation. This version of the medal is the highest level of recognition for long-term service.

Both regular soldiers and officers in the People's Liberation Army and the Armed Police can wear this medal. They wear it on their dress uniforms to show their hard work to everyone. This allows other people to easily see how many years of duty a soldier has finished. The medal is worn in a special spot on the uniform to show the soldier's rank and time served.

Does it require combat?

No, this is not a medal for fighting in wars or battles. Instead, it is given to honor soldiers for their steady work during long periods of peace. It focuses on the importance of staying in the military to serve the country for an entire career. This medal honors the daily tasks that keep the nation safe every day.

What is this medal awarded for?

This medal honors soldiers who show great loyalty by serving for a long time. It was created in 2007 as part of the new Type 07 uniform system to recognize dedicated service. It shows that a soldier has done their job well and stayed committed to protecting China for many years. This award celebrates the steady work of people who serve in the armed forces.

How long do you have to serve to get bronze?

A soldier earns the bronze medal after finishing 10 years of honorable service. This marks the first big step in a long military career. It proves that the person has been a reliable member of the armed forces for a full decade. The bronze color represents the start of a soldier's long-term commitment to their country.

How do you earn the gold version?

The gold medal is a special reward for soldiers who complete 30 years of military duty. It is reserved for those who have spent most of their adult lives in the armed forces. It acts as a symbol of a lifetime spent being loyal and dedicated to the nation. This version of the medal is the highest level of recognition for long-term service.

Both regular soldiers and officers in the People's Liberation Army and the Armed Police can wear this medal. They wear it on their dress uniforms to show their hard work to everyone. This allows other people to easily see how many years of duty a soldier has finished. The medal is worn in a special spot on the uniform to show the soldier's rank and time served.

Does it require combat?

No, this is not a medal for fighting in wars or battles. Instead, it is given to honor soldiers for their steady work during long periods of peace. It focuses on the importance of staying in the military to serve the country for an entire career. This medal honors the daily tasks that keep the nation safe every day.

Home Library ChinaNational Defense Service Medal

Service medal

National Defense Service Medal

A service medal awarded to Chinese troops who faithfully protect the nation over long periods of military duty.

China Established 2007 All servicesPrecedence: Worn on the service dress uniform below valor and combat decorations

Medals & Awards

Awarded For

Awarded for honorable, faithful, and long-term active service in the Chinese armed forces.

Eligibility

Members of the People's Liberation Army and Armed Police with qualifying years of service.

Branch

All services

Precedence

Worn on the service dress uniform below valor and combat decorations

National Defense Service Medal, Service medal, China medal

History

The National Defense Service Medal was created in the 2000s and formally revised under the Type 07 uniform system. It was designed to recognize loyal and dedicated military service across the armed forces.

The medal is issued in three levels: bronze for ten years, silver for twenty years, and gold for thirty years of honorable military duty. It provides every soldier with an official recognition of their service time.

Enlisted soldiers and officers wear this decoration on their service dress uniforms as a visible mark of their long-term dedication to defending the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Used In

Modern Peacetime Service

Veterans Who Received This Award

Realistic illustration of the military medals and badges awarded to Wang Hai, including Chinese People's Volunteers Resist America and Aid Korea Memorial Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Medal of Performing Combat Mission, August 1 Medal, Order of Blue Sky and White Sun, Order of National Glory, shown against a light China flag background. AI-generated illustration, not an authentic photograph.

Korean War

Chinese People's Volunteers Resist America and Aid Korea Memorial Medal National Defense Service Medal Medal of Performing Combat Mission+3

Wang Hai

Who Was General Wang Hai?

A decorated ace pilot who led his squadron during the Korean War.

China1951-1953

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Vietnam

Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal Vietnam Service Medal+2

Michael Vicelleo

How Did Helicopter Pilots Scout for the Enemy in Vietnam?

Captain Michael Vicelleo served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam, conducting low-altitude reconnaissance missions to locate enemy positions.

AmericanSeptember 30, 1968

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