Question about military medals

[Alpo]

Actually a couple of questions.

 

Let's say you get shot. You get a Purple Heart, and when you're wearing your ribbons you wear this purple ribbon.

 

You get shot again. Another Purple Heart. But you don't wear two purple ribbons - you have the little metallic thing stuck in the ribbon. An oak leaf cluster (I understand the Marines call that something else), which lets everyone know that you have received that purple ribbon twice.

 

First question. You are wearing your actual medals, not your ribbons. Do you wear two Purple Heart medals, or stick an oak leaf cluster on the fabric part of the one medal?

 

As far as I know the Bronze Star is the only medal that is like this. You can be awarded the Bronze Star for both combat and non-combat reasons. If it is for combat, it is "Bronze Star with V device" - the V for Valor (or so I've been told).

 

So let's suppose you have a Bronze Star with V, and another one without the V.

 

Second question: Do you wear two ribbons - one with and one without the V? Do you just wear the ribbon with the V and attach an oak leaf cluster to it (which I would think would make it appear that you received two Bronze Star with V)?

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

I hope whoever it is gets it right...

 

This brings to mind the tragic story of Admiral Jeremy Boorda.  

 

Admiral Commits Suicide

 

Quote

 

...Boorda was reported to have been distraught over a media investigation led by decorated U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran David Hackworth of Newsweek, into two miniature bronze letter "V" (valor) devices which Boorda had worn for years on two of his uniform's service ribbons....

 

Former CNO Elmo Zumwalt, who was Boorda's commander during the Vietnam War and who verbally authorized Combat "V"s for Boorda and many other sailors, wrote a letter to the effect that Boorda's wearing of the devices was "appropriate, justified and proper."^[21] However, wearing the Navy's Combat Distinguishing Device (Combat "V") on a specific decoration that may authorize the device requires written authorization for the device on a printed award citation.

 

 

[Tequila Shooter]

2 hours ago, Alpo said:

Actually a couple of questions.

 

Let's say you get shot. You get a Purple Heart, and when you're wearing your ribbons you wear this purple ribbon.

 

You get shot again. Another Purple Heart. But you don't wear two purple ribbons - you have the little metallic thing stuck in the ribbon. An oak leaf cluster (I understand the Marines call that something else), which lets everyone know that you have received that purple ribbon twice.

 

First question. You are wearing your actual medals, not your ribbons. Do you wear two Purple Heart medals, or stick an oak leaf cluster on the fabric part of the one medal?

 

As far as I know the Bronze Star is the only medal that is like this. You can be awarded the Bronze Star for both combat and non-combat reasons. If it is for combat, it is "Bronze Star with V device" - the V for Valor (or so I've been told).

 

So let's suppose you have a Bronze Star with V, and another one without the V.

 

Second question: Do you wear two ribbons - one with and one without the V? Do you just wear the ribbon with the V and attach an oak leaf cluster to it (which I would think would make it appear that you received two Bronze Star with V)?

 

You don't wear 2 medals or ribbons if they are the same.  In your question 2 Purple Hearts is worn as 1 Ribbon/Medal with a device.  Every DOD branch has different instructions for manner of wear for Medals/Ribbons (some awards don't have a Medal) here is the Navy Instruction BUPERS 5301  The link should take you to the awards section.  

[Sedalia Dave]

2 hours ago, Alpo said:

Actually a couple of questions.

 

Let's say you get shot. You get a Purple Heart, and when you're wearing your ribbons you wear this purple ribbon.

 

You get shot again. Another Purple Heart. But you don't wear two purple ribbons - you have the little metallic thing stuck in the ribbon. An oak leaf cluster (I understand the Marines call that something else), which lets everyone know that you have received that purple ribbon twice.

 

First question. You are wearing your actual medals, not your ribbons. Do you wear two Purple Heart medals, or stick an oak leaf cluster on the fabric part of the one medal?

 

As I understand it.

 

For ribbons and medals you would add the appropriate device for each subsequent award. After a certain number of awards of that ribbon the device changes. The type of device added for each award us usually service specific.

 

When a medal like the Bronze star is awarded the first time it may or may not have the Combat V depending on the circumstances. For each subsequent award you will either add a V or a small bronze star to denote additional awards.

 

In your example if the first award of a bronze star was for a non-combat action you would just wear the medal or ribbon without any device. If you were later awarded a second Bronze star for combat reasons you would add both the Combat V and a small bronze star device to the ribbon. Each additional award would add either another V or bronze star device as appropriate.

 

BTW other medals besides the Bronze star can be awarded for Valor and will have their associated "V" added as required.

 

[Tequila Shooter]

Sedalia Dave is correct.  The V device is only awarded for valor in the face of the enemy, commonly understood as combat.  By the way the Purple Heart is the oldest medal awarded starting with the Revolutionary War.  It was later changed with the addition of President Washington's profile and is awarded for injuries sustained in combat. 

[Utah Bob #35998]

As stated. Only one medal or ribbon of the same type will be worn. The Army Commendation Medal and the Air Medal are also awards that can be for either meritorious service or valorous conduct.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

The oak leaf clusters also go on the medal itself, so no, you do not wear two of the same medal.  Good Lord, mister, my uniform already looks like I'm a Columbian drug lord without repeating the medals!!! Some of them I've earned four times!!!!  

 

Bronze star:  Again, you do not wear two of the same.  In the example you gave, ONE bronze star medal would have a V device *and* an oak leaf cluster. 

[Alpo]

While we are on medals -

 

I have read that in the box there are three items. The medal. The ribbon. And a miniature of the ribbon that you would wear in your suit coat lapel while wearing civilian clothes.

 

I have also read that in the box there are three items. The medal. The ribbon. And the miniature metal MEDAL that you would wear on mess dress or civilian formal wear.

 

Which, if either, of these two is correct?

 

[Chuck Steak]

A bronze oak-leaf cluster device is added for subsequent awards.

A silver oak leaf cluster denotes five awards. (A sliver oak-leaf cluster and three bronze oak leaf clusters would denote 8 total awards)

You only wear one "V" device, so on a Bronze Star or ARCOM/"V" you could have numerous award for valor AND service but only wear a single "V" device.

Some awards (campaign medals for example) use a small star to denote multiple awards.

In the Army some awards (Overseas Service Medal or Air Medal for example) use numerals to denote multiple awards. 

The Good Conduct Medal uses "knots" to show subsequent awards (bronze up to 5, silver up to 10, and gold for 11 or more)

[Utah Bob #35998]

2 hours ago, Alpo said:

While we are on medals -

 

I have read that in the box there are three items. The medal. The ribbon. And a miniature of the ribbon that you would wear in your suit coat lapel while wearing civilian clothes.

 

I have also read that in the box there are three items. The medal. The ribbon. And the miniature metal MEDAL that you would wear on mess dress or civilian formal wear.

 

Which, if either, of these two is correct?

 

This is what you get. A miniature medal is a private purchase for wear on a formal dress uniform or civilian suit. The lower ranking medals such as campaign and service medals come in a much smaller non- presentation box and do not contain the lapel button.

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

3 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

The oak leaf clusters also go on the medal itself, so no, you do not wear two of the same medal.  Good Lord, mister, my uniform already looks like I'm a Columbian drug lord without repeating the medals!!! Some of them I've earned four times!!!!  

 

Bronze star:  Again, you do not wear two of the same.  In the example you gave, ONE bronze star medal would have a V device *and* an oak leaf cluster. 

What’s your opinion of the proposed ASGU?

[Tequila Shooter]

Alpo now you can see one of the ways Veterans can tell when there's someone claiming stolen valor.  Most of them don't know the correct manner of wear of uniform items.  I'm glad you asked the question and as you can tell there are variations between the services.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

5 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

What’s your opinion of the proposed ASGU?

Which one was that?  If it's the one I'm thinking of, it got quashed.

[Utah Bob #35998]

3 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

Which one was that?  If it's the one I'm thinking of, it got quashed.

Oops. I meant the AGSU. 
 

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

On 2/7/2020 at 5:42 PM, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Oops. I meant the AGSU. 
 

 

Oh yes. We are colloquially calling them, "pinks and greens" because they strongly resemble that uniform from the Eisenhower era.  As to my personal opinion, I had the opportunity to voice it to the Sergeant Major of the Army when I was at battalion pre-command course a few years ago, before the decision was made to implement them.  I told him, "They look great.  They remove a lot of the unnecessary and gaudy 'bling' we have on the ASU.  But I'm sick and tired of spending money on clothes I hardly wear!"

 

[Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life]

Just like Marine dress blues. If you had them aboard a stateside base, you were "volunteered" to attend an older Marines funeral. I, sadly, lost them overboard on a deployment. TRAGIC!!!!!