History

The Medal of the Armed Forces in Service of the Fatherland was established by the Polish People's Republic in 1951. From 1951-1968, it was administered by the Council of State and awarded as a state decoration. It was taken over by the Ministry of Defence in 1968 and was awarded until the collapse of the communist regime in 1989. It was suspended in 1990 but was later renewed in 1995. It is currently awarded by the Ministry of Defence.

The Medal is awarded to Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers for long and faithful service in the Polish Armed Forces, and to civilians for long and faithful careers in the Polish Armed Forces.

There are three versions of the I Class Medal awarded in the Polish People's Republic that differ in inscription according to the recognised service term. All versions feature an obverse inscription that can be translated to "Armed Forces in Service of the Country."

The current version is listed in the Medals & Decorations of the Third Polish Republic (1989-).