My replica Legion of Merit!

The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements - combat or noncombat services.

I have awarded myself this replica medal for being bestowed the honor of "Nino" or "godfather" to my goddaughter, Gwyneth McCann Glover in June 2009. If being the godfather to a child and assisting her parents in raising the child in the Catholic religion (until she's old enough to make decisions for herself) isn't "meritorious", I don't know what else is.

Specifically, my medal is the Legionnaire Degree of the Legion of Merit.

The reverse of the medal has the motto taken from the Great Seal of the United States "ANNUIT COEPTIS" (He (God) Has Favored Our Undertakings) and the date "MDCCLXXXII" (1782), which is the date of America's first decoration, the Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart.

Other recipients of the Legion of Merit include: David Niven, Audie Murphy, director George Stevens, Senator John McCain, and American astronomer Edwin Hubble. 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. As this medal is not awarded to non-military personnel, I will wear it proudly until a suitable non-military personnel medal shall be found.

Disclaimer: By wearing this medal, I by no means mock military personnel, living or deceased. I will not wear this medal in public - only family gatherings and around goddaughter.