The order is awarded by the decree of the President of the Republic on special occasions, typically at the ceremonies held on the Statehood Day.

[4] The medallions of the insignia come in gold and the obverse features a white enameled cross pattée with gilt spiral pattern and are based on the same type of design and style of the dynastic order of Karađorđe Star.

[5] In June 1915, at the height of World War I, the Kingdom of Serbia instituted a sub-division of the version referred to as the Military Cross, which was awarded to NCOs and soldiers for bravery in combat.

[10] Several senior Serbian military leaders were recipients of the War Merit Order, including Prince Alexander, and Field marshals Živojin Mišić and Stepa Stepanović.

Some of the decorated Chetnik commanders included Pavle Đurišić,[13] Dobroslav Jevđević,[14] Momčilo Đujić,[15] Brane Bogunović[16] and Uroš Drenović.

[17] These decorations proved controversial both during and after the war, as many of the commanders cooperated with the armed forces of Germany, Italy or even Independent State of Croatia against the Communist-led Yugoslav Partisans for most of the occupation period.

Such a discrepancy can best be seen in the case of Đujić, who was given the order for displaying "gallantry in the face of the enemy", and subsequently celebrated receiving it at an Italian general's headquarters.

[6] The order comes in either gold or silver depending on the grade and the obverse features a white enameled cross pattée with gilt rays protruding from each of the arms.

Such orders also lacked the phrase etched into the obverse of the older ones and the date 1904 on the reverse, which marked the centenary of the First Serbian Uprising.