The awards were worn on the left chest, immediately before the medals commemorating the annexation of Austria, Sudetenland and Memel.

Both are 30mm in diameter and bear the German eagle clutching a swastika, surrounded by the words Treue Dienste in der Wehrmacht (Loyal service in the armed forces).

The reverse shows the number of years of service, either '4' or '12', surrounded by a wreath.Likewise, the design of the first and second class crosses are similar.

[9] In the early 1960s the West German Bundeswehr considered creating a new long service award inline with previous Imperial and Wehrmacht models although it never made it past the prototype phase.

In 1980 the Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr was established, which along with meritorious achievement also recognized long service in various grades.