Valour Cross

Valour Cross
Awarded by Sovereign of the Kingdom of Aswick
Country	Aswick
Type	Military Decoration
Eligibility	Persons of any rank in the Naval, Military and Air Forces of the Kingdom of Aswick or territories; members of the Merchant Navy; and civilians serving under the orders, directions or supervision of any of the above-mentioned forces or services.
Awarded for	"... most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty while engaged with hostile forces."
Status	Currently awarded
Post-nominals	VC
Statistics
Established	11 June, 1854
First awarded	11 June, 1854
Last awarded	2016
Total awarded	1272
Distinct recipients	1254
Precedence
Next (higher)	None
Next (lower)	Medal for Valour

The Valour Cross is the highest award that can be awarded in the Aswickan honours system. It is awarded for gallantry while engaged with hostile forces to members of the Aswickan Armed forces. Since 1942, it may be awarded posthumously. It is unique in that it is one of the few medals that could be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service as well to civilians under military command (although no civilian has received the award since 1959) since its creation. Though commonly thought that it can only be awarded by the monarch, this is in fact incorrect. However, since its inception all but three awards have been made in person by the King himself.

The Valour Cross was introduced on 11 June 1845 by King Jack the Second to honour acts of valour during the insert war. Since then, the medal has been awarded 1,272 times to 1,254 individual recipients.

Award Process

The Valour Cross is awarded for "most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty while engaged with forces hostile to Aswick".

In order to be considered for this award, a recommendation for the Valour Cross is normally issued by an officer at regimental level, or its naval or air force equivalent, and has to be supported by three witnesses, although this has been waived on occasion. Further, the King may decide at will to award it to anyone he deems worthy. The recommendation is then passed up the military chain until it reaches the Secretary of State for Defence. The recommendation is then given to the monarch who approves the award with their signature. Valour Cross awards are always published in the Jamestown Gazette, along with the reasons.

In the case of a gallant and daring act being performed by a squadron, ship's company or a detached body of men (such as marines) in which all men are deemed equally brave and deserving of the Valour Cross, a ballot is drawn. The officers select one officer, the NCOs select one individual and the private soldiers or seamen select two individuals. Furthermore the whole squadron, ship's company or detached body of men may be awarded the Royal Unit Citation. In all 46 awards have been awarded by ballot with 29 of the awards during the Second Astyrian War.

Authority and Priveleges

Due to its status as the country's highest award, the Valour Cross is always the first award to be presented at an investiture, even before knighthoods or peerdoms. Owing to its status, the Valour Cross is always the first decoration worn in a row of medals and it is the first set of post-nominal letters used to indicate any decoration or order.

One myth that is commonly spread through the armed forces is that it's official regulation for all ranks to salute recipients of the Valour Cross. This is wrong, however, as nothing like this appears in the official Warrant of the Valour Cross, nor in King's Regulations and Orders, however, unwritten tradition dictates that this occurs and as such the Chiefs of Staff will salute a Private awarded a Valour Cross.

Annuity

The original warrant stated that NCOs and private soldiers or seamen on the Valour Cross Register were entitled to one full month's salary (At the highest rank achieved, if having left the service) per annum annuity. In 1939, King James raised the pension to two months for those that could not earn a livelihood, be it from old age or infirmity. Today holders of the Valour Cross or Medal for Valour are entitled to an annuity, the amount of which is determined by the awarding government. Since 2015, the annuity paid by the Aswickan Government is £15,000 per year. This is exempted from tax for Aswickan taxpayers, along with pensions or annuities from other awards for bravery.