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

In the Aswickan honours system, the Valour Cross (Or Cross for Valour, as it is often erroneously called) is the highest decoration that can be awarded. It is awarded for gallantry while engaged with hostile forces to members of the Aswickan Armed forces. Although initially it could only be awarded to someone if they lived through their act (Or at rather: if they lived until the bureaucratic machine finally got around to awarding the medal), this was changed by order of the King during the advent of the Second Regional War. It has always been one of the few medals that could be 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.

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".

The first step towards receiving the award is to be recommended for it by an officer at regimental level, or its naval or air force equivalent, and has to be supported by as many witness accounts as can be furnished. This last part has often been waived, however, as quite often the heroic act in question ended with the recipients being the lone survivor. In addition to that, the King has the prerogative to award the medal to anyone he deems worthy. The recommendation is then passed up the chain until it reaches the Defence Ministry. If the Secretary of State for Defence decides there is enough merit to it, they present it to the King. Awards are always published in the Jamestown gazette, accompanied by their citation.

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. Nothing of the sort appears in the King's Regulations and Orders, however, unwritten tradition dictates that this does occur and as such the Chiefs of Staff will salute a Private awarded a Valour Cross.

Annuity

Recipients of the Valour Cross have always received an annuity. The exact amount is determined every year by the Treasury to adjust for inflation. It has always, and will always be tax free. Currently, the annuity amounts to somewhat in excess of 15.000 Aswickan pounds.