On admission into the Order of Merit , members can use the post-nominal letters OM , and have the badge of the order , consisting of a golden crown from which is suspended a red enamelled cross , itself centred by a disk of blue enamel , surrounded by a gold laurel wreath , and bearing in gold lettering the words FOR MERIT ; the insignia for the military grouping has a pair of crossed swords behind the central disk . Upon admission into the Order of Merit , members are entitled to use the post-nominal letters OM , and are entrusted with the badge of the order , consisting of a golden crown from which is suspended a red enamelled cross , itself centred by a disk of blue enamel , surrounded by a gold laurel wreath , and bearing in gold lettering the words FOR MERIT ; the insignia for the military grouping is distinguished by a pair of crossed swords behind the central disk .