Medal to award long periods of command in the Italian military

The Military Medal for Merit in Long Command (Medaglia militare al merito di lungo comando) is a prestigious decoration dating back to the Kingdom of Italy, which was subsequently adopted by the Italian Republic. The Military Medal for Merit in Long Command is awarded to officers and non-commissioned officers of the Armed Forces, serving or retired, who have accumulated, in the ranks held successively and even across multiple periods of service, the following minimum periods of command of a unit or formation: a) gold medal: 20 years; b) silver medal: 15 years; c) bronze medal: 10 years.

For the purposes of awarding the medal, only the time during which the officer or non-commissioned officer actually held command of a unit or formation is eligible, and it is calculated according to the rules set out in Article 8 of Presidential Decree No. 1092 of 29 December 1973.