Editing Legion of Merit (section)

==Criteria==
The degrees of Chief Commander, Commander, Officer, and Legionnaire are awarded only to members of armed forces of foreign nations under the criteria outlined in Army Regulation 672-7 and is based on the relative rank or position of the recipient as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/julqtr/32cfr578.13.htm|title=Legion of Merit.|access-date=June 26, 2011|archive-date=November 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081112034853/http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/julqtr/32cfr578.13.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

:#'''Chief Commander''': [[Head of state]] or [[Head of government|government]]. However, this degree was awarded by President Roosevelt to some Allied World War II theater commanders, usually for joint amphibious landings or invasions. (The President had this power under {{Executive Order|9260}} of October 29, 1942, paragraph 3b.<ref>Executive Order 9260 of October 29, 1942 http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=58838 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004140450/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=58838 |date=October 4, 2012 }}</ref>)
:#'''Commander''': Equivalent of a U.S. military chief of staff or higher position, but not to a head of state.
:#'''Officer''': [[General officer|General]] or [[flag officer]] below the equivalent of a U.S. military chief of staff; [[colonel]] or equivalent rank (e.g., Navy or Coast Guard [[Captain (United States O-6)|captain]]) for service in assignments equivalent to those normally held by a general or flag officer in U.S. military service; or [[military attaché]]s.
:#'''Legionnaire''': All recipients not included above.

When the Legion of Merit is awarded to members of the uniformed services of the United States, it is awarded without reference to degree. The criteria are "for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements" and is typically reserved for senior officers at O-6 level and above, typically in connection with senior leadership/command positions or other senior positions of significant responsibility.<ref name="byu">{{cite web |title=BYU professor earns Legion of Merit for diplomacy; urges students to be peacemakers |url=https://news.byu.edu/intellect/byu-professor-earns-legion-of-merit-for-diplomacy-urges-students-to-be-peacemakers#:~:text=First%20created%20by%20an%20Act,of%20outstanding%20services%20and%20achievements.%E2%80%9D |website=BYU}}</ref>

* The performance must have been such as to merit recognition of key individuals for service rendered in a clearly exceptional manner.
* Performance of duties normal to the grade, branch, specialty, or assignment, and experience of an individual is not an adequate basis for this award.
* For service not related to actual war, the term "key individual" applies to a narrower range of positions than in time of war and requires evidence of significant achievement.
* In peacetime, service should be in the nature of a special requirement or of an extremely difficult duty performed in an unprecedented and clearly exceptional manner.
* However, justification of the award may accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of important positions.

The degrees and the design of the decoration were influenced by the French [[Legion of Honour]] (''Légion d'honneur'').<ref>{{cite book|last1=Borch III|first1=Fred L.|title=Medals for Soldiers and Airmen: Awards and Decorations of the United States Army and Air Force|date=2013|publisher=McFarland & Company Inc.|location=Jefferson|isbn=9780786474127|page=124|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Hv6St9HxmYC|access-date=29 August 2015|archive-date=October 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003045841/https://books.google.com/books?id=9Hv6St9HxmYC|url-status=live}}</ref>