How to Put Military Ribbons in Order
Many military members have earned awards and decorations during their service. They are expected to wear ribbons that represent their accomplishments on some of their formal and semi-formal uniforms. Separated and retired members may also display these in special commemorative cases. Regardless of status, there is an order of precedence to these ribbons for display or wear. The Department of Defense decorations, as well as branch-specific decorations, must be considered.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Check your DD214, the official military separation order, for which campaigns and medals are credited to your service.
-
2
Verify that you have been awarded all earned decorations. You can do this by checking your military personnel records and copies of any official travel orders for any tours you served. If you feel that some campaigns or decorations were not listed, the National Archives website can provide you with branch-specific records request information.
-
-
3
Match up your campaign and medal information with the ones listed in the Department of Defense's Manual of Military Decorations and Awards. Each medal's description lists its order of precedence. The Defense Distinguished Service Medal, for example, is placed after the Distinguished Service Cross of the Armed Forces, but right before the Distinguished Service Medals of the Armed Forces.
-
4
Consider branch-specific and awards you may have earned and check for their order of precedence in comparison to the Department of Defense Medals. The Navy Expeditionary Medal is placed before the National Defense Medal in order of precedence.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Check with your former branch of service for any ribbon and medal updates. Sometimes campaigns aren't awarded medals until several years after completion, such as the Kosovo Air and Space Campaign. It ended in 1999 but a medal wasn't awarded until 2002.
Falsifying records for purpose of gaining military awards is subject to Federal penalty.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit military helicopter image by BlueMiniu from Fotolia.com
More Like This
Comments
-
this is to confusing.
