A medal ribbon, service ribbon, or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal.U.S. Army Regulation 600-8-22, 2006, P. 72&73, 6--2 Service ribbons, a.

Each country's government has its own rules on what ribbons can be worn in what circumstances and in which order. This is usually defined in an official document and is called "the order of precedence" or "the order of wearing". In some countries (particularly in North America and Israel), some awards are "ribbon only", having no associated medal.

Design

According to the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the U.S. military's standard size for a ribbon bar is wide, tall, with a thickness of 0.8 mm.

The service ribbon for a specific medal is usually identical to the suspension ribbon on the medal. For example, the suspension and service ribbon for the U.S. government's Purple Heart medal is purple with a white vertical stripe at each end (see photo).

However, there are some military awards that do not have a suspension ribbon, but have an authorized ribbon and unit award emblem. The Soviet Order of Victory is a badge that was worn on the military parade uniform. However, a ribbon bar representing the Order of Victory was worn on a military field uniform. Colors Ribbon bars come in a variety of colors. In the case of the U.S. government, it maintains a specific list of colors used on its ribbons, based on the Pantone Matching System and Federal Standard 595 color systems:

Colors used on U.S. military ribbonsName Color RGB value Pantone MS value Air Force Yellow 255,205,0116 Apple Red 213,0,50119 Army Green (Uniform) 40,71,52553 Aspic Green 191,184,0397 Black 0,0,05445 Blue HQ 183,201,211 289 Blue HX 12,35,643105 Blue Turquoise 104,210,223542 Bluebird 123,175,212542 Bottle Green 17,87,64343 Brick Red 134,38,51202 Brittany Blue 163,199,210 551 Bronze 139,111,78874 Brown 96,61,32161 Buff 185,151,91465 Burnt Orange 227,82,5166 Cannes Blue 123,175,212542 Cardinal Red 186,12,47 200 Chamois 242,199,92141 Cobalt Blue 0,32,91281 Corsaire Blue 0,45,114288 Crimson 165,0,80220 Dark Blue 0,38,58539 Eggshell 221,203,164468 Emerald 100,167,11369 Flag Blue 4,30,66282 Flame Red 255,88,93178 Forget-Me-Not Blue 154,219,232304 Garnet 111,38,61209 Gherkin Green 74,119,41364 Gold 133,113,77872 Gold Brown 184,97,37471 Golden Orange 255,158,271375 Golden Yellow 255,205,0116 Goldenlight 255,198,88135 Graphite Blue 0,38,58539 Grebe Gray 84,88,90 425 Green 33,87,50357 Grotto Blue 0,193,2133115 Imperial Blue 0,61,165293 Imperial Purple 152,29,151254 Irish Green 0,132,61348 Ivory 255,255,255 Jasmine 253,210,110134 Khaki 176,170,126452 Lemon Yellow 251,221,64114 Light Blue 91,127,1495415 Light Green 146,172,1605575 MC Antique White 233,223,151461 Mahogany 127,48,53491 Marine Corps Scarlet 228,0,43185 Maroon 87,41,50504 Midnight Blue 0,38,58593 Mintleaf 164,214,94367 Mosstone Green 122,154,1 377 Myrtle Green 0,122,51356 Natural 202,199,167454 Navy Blue #1 4,30,66 282 Navy Blue #2 4,30,66 282 Nugget Gold 255,209,0109 Old Blue 162,170,173429 Old China Blue 123,175,212542 Old Glory Blue 1,33,105280 Old Glory Red 186,12,47200 Old Gold 132,117,78871 Olive 78,91,49 574 Olive Drab 105,91,36 455 Orange 252,76,21655 Oriental Blue 0,114,206285 Oriole Orange 229,114,0152 Ostende Blue 123,175,212542 Paprica 250,70,22172 Parrot Blue 136,219,223318 Peacock Blue 0,146,188313 Primitive Green 0,154,68347 Prophet Green 67,176,42361 Purple 95,37,159267 Putty 178,168,162407 Rally Red 111,38,61209 River Blue 0,111,98562 Scarlet 186,12,47 200 Silver Gray 158,162,162422 Smoke 84,88,90425 Soldier Red 111,38,61209 Spicebrown 115,56,29168 Spring Green 197,232,108374 Spruce Green 0,76,693302 Star Yellow 253,218,36115 Steel 124,135,142430 Tarragon Green 137,144,1005773 Teal Blue 0,62,813035 Terra Cotta 150,56,33174 Toast 155,90,26154 Ultramarine Blue 0,20,137Reflex Blue Victory Medal Blue #1 0,75,135301 Victory Medal Blue #2 0,75,135301 White 255,255,255 Yale Blue 0,114,206285 Yellow 255,199,44 123

Construction There is a variety of constructions of service ribbons. In some countries, service ribbons are mounted on a "pin backing", which can be pushed through the fabric of a uniform and secured, with fasteners, on the inside edge. These ribbons can be individually secured and then lined up, or they can be all mounted on to a single fastener. After the Second World War, it was common for all ribbons to be mounted on a single metal bar and worn in a manner similar to a brooch. Other methods of wearing have included physically sewing each service ribbon onto the uniform garments.

Display "Orders of wearing" define which ribbons may be worn on which types of uniform in which positions under which circumstances. For example, miniature medals on dinner dress, full medals on parade dress, ribbons on dress shirts, but no decorations on combat dress and working clothing. Some countries (such as Cuba) maintain a standard practice of wearing full service ribbons on combat utility clothing. Others strictly prohibit this. These regulations are generally similar to the regulations regarding display of rank insignia and regulations regarding saluting of more senior ranks. The reasoning for such regulations is to prevent these displays from enabling opposing forces to easily identify persons of higher rank and therefore aid them in choosing targets which will have a larger impact on the battlefield. In times of war, it is not uncommon for commanders and other high value individuals to wear no markings on their uniforms and wear clothing and insignia of a lower ranking soldier.

Service medals and ribbons are generally worn in rows on the left side of the chest. In certain commemorative or memorial circumstances, a relative may wear the medals or ribbons of a dead relative on the right side of the chest. Medals and ribbons not specifically mentioned in the "Order of wear" are also generally worn on the right side of the chest. Sequencing of the ribbons depends on each country's regulations. In the United States, for example, those with the highest status—typically awarded for heroism or distinguished service—are placed at the top of the display, while foreign decorations (when allowed) are last in the bottom rows. When medals are worn (typically on the left side of a shirt or jacket), ribbons with no corresponding medals are worn on the right side.

Collecting The study, history and collection of ribbons, among other military decorations, is known as phaleristics (sometimes spelled faleristics by users of U.S. English).

Notable examples

Australia Keith Payne, VC, OAM

His Excellency General The Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove, AK, MC

Canada Romeo Dallaire (1994)

Denmark Sir Hans Jesper Helsø former General and Chief of Defence.

Ecuador Ecuadorian General of the Army Paco Moncayo

Germany Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel

India Field Marshal S.H.F.J. Manekshaw

United Kingdom Admiral of the Fleet Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (incomplete)

United States

In the U.S. military, the different federal uniformed services have different methods of wearing ribbon bars on uniforms. In the U.S. Navy, they are worn in rows of three with no staggering or spacing between rows (with the exception of the top row, which may be staggered to the wearer's left if covered by a lapel). For U.S. Navy members who have three or more ribbons, they can elect to wear only their three highest-ranked ones instead of all of them and if their top three ribbons are obscured by a lapel, they can stagger the top row. In the U.S. Marine Corps, they can be worn in rows of three or four, with optional staggering and can be spaced between rows. In the U.S. Army, they can be worn staggered with spacing in between rows. A U.S. serviceman's complete ribbon display is known by a variety of nicknames. It can be referred to colloquially as a "ribbon rack" or "rack" for short, or a "fruit salad".

General George S. Patton's ribbon bars

See also Awards and decorations of the United States military List of military decorations Order Phaleristics

References

External links Danish service ribbons