History

The Armed Services Long Award was established on March 16, 1936, by Adolf Hitler to commemorate the one year anniversary of the reintroduction of compulsory military service. The decorations consisted of four grades, I Class Cross for 25 Years, II Class Cross for 18 Years, III Class Medal for 12 Years, and IV Class Medal for 4 Years. On March 10, 1939, oakleaves became a possible addition for the I Class Cross to denote 40 years of service. Wehrmacht personnel who had become active members prior to March 16, 1935, were entitled to receive the decoration.

Service rendered in other organisations such as the Freikorp, the State Police Force, the Schutzpolizei, the Reichswehr, the Provisional National Defence, which included the Provisional National Army and the Provisional Imperial Navy, was taken into account when calculating service years.

As of May 3, 1939, the Award could also be conferred upon former members of the Austrian Army, who had become members of the German Wehrmacht before March 13, 1938.

Members of the Army and Kriegsmarine wore the emblem of the Wehrmacht on the decoration ribbon. Members of the Luftwaffe wore the Luftwaffe emblem on the decoration ribbon. The emblems were the same colour as the class of decoration.