| King's Commendation for Valuable Service | |
| Type: | Merit award |
| Eligibility: | Personnel of the Armed Forces |
| Awarded For: | Meritorious service in an operational theatre |
| Status: | Currently awarded |
| Description: | Ribbon device |
| Established: | 1994 |
The King's Commendation for Valuable Service is a British military award for meritorious service in an operational theatre.[1] It was established in 1994,[2] when the award of the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct and the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air were discontinued.[3]
A King’s Commendation for Valuable Service is open to all ranks of the British Armed Forces for meritorious service, not in the face of an enemy, in an operational theatre. It is the lowest level of merit award, classed as 'level 4', alongside a Mention in Dispatches and other King's Commendations. The award does not entitle the holder to any post nominal letters.[4]
A King’s Commendation for Valuable Service can be awarded posthumously.[1]
The holder is entitled to wear an emblem of a spray of silver oak leaves. This should be worn in a similar manner to a mention in despatches. If awarded for services in a theatre for which a campaign medal has been granted, it is worn on the ribbon of the appropriate medal. If the award is made for services where no campaign medal has been granted, the emblem is to be worn directly on the coat after any medal ribbons.
From 2003, in addition to British campaign medals, commendation and mention in despatches devices can be worn on United Nations, NATO and EU medals.[5] Originally only one commendation or mention in dispatches emblem of each category could be worn on any one medal ribbon.[6] In a change introduced in 2014, those with multiple awards may wear up to three of each commendation and mention in dispatch devices on a single campaign medal and ribbon bar.[7]
This table summarises the various King's and Queen's Commendations awarded by the United Kingdom:
| Period | For Bravery | For Bravery (Air) | For valuable service | For valuable service (Air) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 - 1952[8] | – | – | |||
| 1952 - 1994[9] | – | – | |||
| 1994 - 2022 | Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air | Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service | – | ||
| 2022 - present | King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air | King's Commendation for Valuable Service | – |