User:Necrothesp/Notability criteria for recipients of honours

There are often questions in AfD discussions and elsewhere as to which honours and decorations qualify a recipient for "inherent" notability under WP:ANYBIO #1. The following is not in any way official, but has been formulated after long experience of editing Wikipedia, participating in AfD discussions, and studying honours systems.

In general, I would consider that notability requires one first-level award, any two second-level awards for service, any two second-level awards for gallantry, or any three second- or third-level awards. Fourth-level awards do not count towards the total unless a large number have been awarded.

Honours and decorations in italics are no longer awarded.

Note that this is a work in progress, which generally explains omissions.

Australia

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Australian citizens are also eligible for Commonwealth honours and decorations, which may be considered in combination with Australian honours and decorations.

First-level service awards

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  • Order of Merit (OM)
  • Knight, Dame, Companion, or Officer of the Order of Australia (AK, AD, AC, AO)
  • Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)

Second-level service awards

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  • Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
  • Lieutenant or Member of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO, MVO)

Third-level service awards

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First-level gallantry awards

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Second-level gallantry awards

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Third-level service awards

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Canada

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Canadian citizens are also eligible for Commonwealth honours and decorations, which may be considered in combination with Canadian honours and decorations.

First-level service awards

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Second-level service awards

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Third-level service awards

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First-level gallantry awards

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Second-level gallantry awards

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Third-level gallantry awards

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France

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First-level service awards

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Second-level service awards

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First-level gallantry awards

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Second-level gallantry awards

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  • Officier, Chevalier, or Légionnaire of the Légion d'honneur for courage
  • Médaille militaire
  • Médaille d’honneur pour acte de courage et de dévouement Argent

Third-level gallantry awards

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Germany/West Germany

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First-level service awards

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First-level gallantry awards

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New Zealand

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New Zealand citizens are also eligible for Commonwealth honours and decorations, which may be considered in combination with New Zealand honours and decorations.

First-level service awards

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  • Order of Merit (OM)
  • Order of New Zealand (ONZ)
  • Knight or Dame Grand Companion, Principal Companion, Knight or Dame Companion, Distinguished Companion, or Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (GNZM, PCNZM, KNZM, DNZM, DCNZM, CNZM)
  • Knight or Dame Grand Cross, Knight or Dame Commander, or Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO, KCVO, DCVO, CVO)

Second-level service awards

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  • Lieutenant or Member of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO, MVO)
  • Queen's Service Order (QSO)
  • Officer or Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM, MNZM)

Third-level service awards

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First-level gallantry awards

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Second-level gallantry awards

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Third-level gallantry awards

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United Kingdom, British Empire, and Commonwealth

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This system was formerly used by all Commonwealth countries, and citizens of Commonwealth Realms are still eligible for these honours and decorations in addition to their own.

First-level service awards

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Second-level service awards

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  • Lieutenant or Member of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO, MVO)
  • Officer or Member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE, MBE)
  • Royal Red Cross 1st Class (RRC)
  • Kaisar-i-Hind Medal

Third-level service awards

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First-level gallantry awards

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Second-level gallantry awards

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Third-level gallantry awards

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Fourth-level awards

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United States of America

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United States awards are more difficult to classify as they are decentralised and every government department and many local agencies award their own completely separate collection of honours and bravery decorations. It is therefore not certain that multiple awards may make an individual notable.

First-level service awards

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Second-level service awards

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First-level gallantry awards

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Second-level gallantry awards

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Third-level gallantry awards

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Fourth-level awards

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ It is my personal opinion that, given the large numbers awarded and the actions for which many of them were awarded, the Knight's Cross should actually be considered a second-level decoration; however, consensus appears to be that all recipients are notable.