Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard are military medals and ribbons of the United States Coast Guard which are currently issued under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.
Prior to 2002, such awards were issued by the Secretary of Transportation and Coast Guard personnel were eligible to receive a variety of Department of Transportation (DOT) civilian decorations. Since transferring to the Department of Homeland Security, the issuance of DOT awards has been discontinued in the Coast Guard, although such awards may still be seen on active duty Coast Guard uniforms.
Coast Guard military awards are similar to U.S. Navy awards (often with nearly identical ribbons save for an additional white stripe) and Coast Guard personnel are eligible to receive all inter-service awards and decorations, authorized foreign awards and international decorations.
The current active awards and decorations of the U.S. Coast Guard are as follows:
Coast Guard Medals Personal Awards and Decorations Coast Guard Cross Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Medal Coast Guard Commendation Medal Coast Guard Achievement Medal
Coast Guard Good Conduct and Service Medals Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal Coast Guard Reserve Good Conduct Medal Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal
Coast Guard Lifesaving Medals Gold Lifesaving Medal Silver Lifesaving Medal
Coast Guard Unit Awards Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation DHS Outstanding Unit Award Coast Guard Unit Commendation Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Team Commendation Coast Guard "E" Ribbon
Coast Guard Ribbons Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon Enlisted Person of the Year Ribbon Special Operations Service Ribbon Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon Restricted Duty Ribbon Coast Guard Overseas Service Ribbon Coast Guard Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon Coast Guard Recruiting Service Ribbon
Coast Guard Marksmanship Awards/Medals Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award/Badge Coast Guard Distinguished Pistol Shot Award/Badge Coast Guard Rifleman Excellence-In-Competition Award/Badge(Rifleman EIC Badges earned at national matches have the word "NATIONAL" etched at their base.) Coast Guard Pistol Shot Excellence-In-Competition Award/Badge(Pistol Shot EIC Badges earned at national matches have the word "NATIONAL" etched at their base.) President's Hundred TabEnlisted Only Coast Guard Expert Rifleman Medal Coast Guard Expert Pistol Shot Medal
Coast Guard Rifle Sharpshooter Ribbon Coast Guard Pistol Sharpshooter Ribbon Coast Guard Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon Coast Guard Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon
Order of precedence The following is the ribbon order of precedence authorized for wear by the U.S. Coast Guard. The list contains awards and decorations for the departments of Defense (including Army, Navy and Air Force), Homeland Security and Transportation:
Key: Bold = denotes agency-level (DHS or DOT) award or U.S. Coast Guard award Bold italic = denotes U.S. Coast Guard award is obsolete Italic = denotes award is obsolete
Personal decorations
Medal of Honor Coast Guard Cross Navy Cross Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Cross Homeland SecurityDistinguished Service Medal TransportationDistinguished Service Medal DefenseDistinguished Service Medal Coast GuardDistinguished Service Medal NavyDistinguished Service Medal ArmyDistinguished Service Medal Air ForceDistinguished Service Medal Silver Star DOT's SecretaryAward for Outstanding Achievement Defense Superior Service Medal Guardian Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Coast Guard Medal Navy and Marine Corps Medal Soldier's Medal Airman's Medal Gold Lifesaving Medal Bronze Star Purple Heart Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Silver Lifesaving Medal Aerial Achievement Medal DOT's SecretaryAward for Meritorious Achievement Joint ServiceCommendation Medal Coast GuardCommendation Medal Navy and Marine CorpsCommendation Medal ArmyCommendation Medal Air ForceCommendation Medal DOT's SecretaryAward for Superior Achievement Joint ServiceAchievement Medal Transportation 9-11 Medal Coast GuardAchievement Medal Navy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal ArmyAchievement Medal Air ForceAchievement Medal Commandant'sLetter of Commendation Ribbon Coast GuardCombat Action Ribbon Navy Combat Action Ribbon(Navy/Marine Corps)
Unit decorations
Coast GuardPresidential Unit Citation Navy and Marine CorpsPresidential Unit Citation Army and Air ForcePresidential Unit Citation Department of Homeland SecurityOutstanding Unit AwardJoint Meritorious Unit AwardSecretary of TransportationOutstanding Unit AwardCoast GuardUnit CommendationNavyUnit CommendationAir Force Gallant Unit CitationCoast GuardMeritorious Unit CommendationNavyMeritorious Unit CommendationAir ForceMeritorious Unit AwardMeritorious Team CommendationAir ForceOutstanding Unit AwardCoast Guard"E" RibbonNavy "E" RibbonAir ForceOrganizational Excellence AwardCoast GuardBicentennial Unit Commendation
Conduct medals Prisoner of War Medal Coast GuardGood Conduct Medal NavyGood Conduct Medal Marine CorpsGood Conduct Medal ArmyGood Conduct Medal Air Force Good Conduct Medal Coast Guard ReserveGood Conduct Medal Naval ReserveMeritorious Service Medal Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
U.S. service, campaign and training awards Authorized non-U.S. service awards and foreign decorations Marksmanship awards
References