Has there been "decoration inflation" over the last couple of decades?

2019-04-24T22:16:42-04:00

When I was (cough) younger (cough) I knew ALL the ribbons, and generally what they were for, and most of the pin-on badges (wings, divers' helmets, etc). Now ... it seems every time I look it up, there are more, for ever vaguer things!

Response by LTC John Mohor made Apr 24 at 2019 10:44 PM

2019-04-24T22:44:05-04:00

Well there certainly are additional medals and qualification Badges thanks to the GWOT. Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, Inherent Resolve, Iraq Campaign, Afghanistan Campaign Medals, Force Recon Badge, Combat Action Medal(AF), Combat Action Medal( Army), “C” Device, “R” Device denoting combat or remote added to existing medals. Considering it’s been 18 years an WWII was six and it brought us the CIB, EIB, all the different Army Airforce Wings and over six campaign, occupation, service, victory and occupation medals

Response by SFC George Smith made Apr 24 at 2019 11:04 PM

2019-04-24T23:04:51-04:00

Been there done that... Most interesting... Thanks for the Share...

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 25 at 2019 5:41 AM

2019-04-25T05:41:57-04:00

There aren’t that many new medals or badges. The Combat Action Badge-Circa 2004 or 5. The Army Achievement Medal-Circa 1983 or 4. A couple of Campaign or service ribbons but they come with conflict, peace Ops or War. I could be wrong.

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Apr 25 at 2019 11:04 AM

2019-04-25T11:04:00-04:00

Brad Miller (Cough, cough, chuckle) Did you know ALL the ribbons?

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA Before you chime in on this comment and without looking up the answer: What ribbon/medal (though obsolete) is between the MOH and the Navy Cross?

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Apr 25 at 2019 3:06 PM

2019-04-25T15:06:46-04:00

There are a lot of ribbons and medals that military members may earn. I retired in 1991. In the decade before I retired we saw the addition of the Achievement Medals for all Services and Joint. The addition of Joint awards equivalent to the Service awards, for example the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, were added. And, everybody's favorite each Service's training ribbon. That's one that just showed up on my personnel report one year because I had completed Pilot Training. I was already a Major when it appeared on my records. Then there are "been there" ribbons. We increased those by several with the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and other locations in the last 20 years.

The Services use ribbons and badges differently adding to the proliferations of things on the uniform. All of the Services except the Air Force use stripes on the sleeves to denote years of service and years of overseas service--Navy and Marines enlisted only. The Air Force uses ribbons (longevity, overseas short tour, and overseas long tour). The Army and Marines use badgers to represent marksmanship skills. The Air Force uses a ribbon. The Navy denotes specialty (rate) for enlisted personnel with a symbol integrated with their rank. The Air Force denotes enlisted and officer specialty "communities" with a badge, e.g., maintenance, finance, civil engineering, medical technician, nurse, doctor, medical admin, supply, air battle manager. These badges except for aviation and professional corps were added in the 1980s. The Army uses a Branch designation, e.g., infantry, aviation, logistics, on enlisted and officer Service Uniform lapel. All five uniformed services award qualification badges, such as pilot wings, paratrooper wings, or combat medic. The Services decided they needed to give officers with command experience their own badge, so they all developed their own "command star" that is generally worn above or on the right pocket of the shirt or service jacket.

I believe you are correct in saying the uniformed services have added a lot of stuff to the uniforms in the last 20 years. I would say in the last 40.

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Apr 25 at 2019 6:45 PM

2019-04-25T18:45:12-04:00

Brad Miller A suggestion - buy a couple of good books on the subject. Here are two excellent ones. The copies I have are a bit outdated, but these should help you to understand the subject better. There are also ones on badges and other insignia that cost in the same range. This is just a start though. There are details that are left out of a number of published books on this subject matter. One hint of detail that is left out is the contribution of William P. Yarborough (badges, other insignia, and uniforms).

https://www.medalsofamerica.com/military-medals-of-america-an-illustrated-history-softcover

https://www.vanguardmil.com/products/military-medals-of-the-united-states-book?variant= [login to see] &utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjwtYXmBRAOEiwAYsyl3A6ZH6lr8vrJXK5PfvmDyMvUarJbsQBliGTMDX1HGhGL5WdZbIU-ShoCwL8QAvD_BwE

Military Medals of America An Illustrated History Softcover

• All Military decorations and service medals, history and award criteria.•Foreign Awards and UN medals.•Complete displays of Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard ribbons in the correct order with all devices.•All military Medals from 1775 to 2019. Their history and how to clam and display them.•Descriptions of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Global War on Terror awards.•Detailed information on how...

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Apr 25 at 2019 7:14 PM

2019-04-25T19:14:47-04:00

Uniform Bling remains fairly static, its the change from peace time Army to constant trips to the box that cause bling to be more prevalent. I went 5 years and had only a good conduct medal and an Army Service ribbon in the beginning. Now I look like a 3rd world general on a bad day.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2019 10:57 PM

2019-04-25T22:57:35-04:00

The scope of what the military is asked to do has increased as well. Humanitarian missions, more training overseas, etc. there are valid reasons these exist.

I think the real issue is that some people get awarded things that they dont deserve and others perform well above their grade and get little recognition for it.

Response by 1SG Eddie Smith made Apr 29 at 2019 3:59 PM

2019-04-29T15:59:51-04:00

Yep, and the next war will create a few more.

Response by 1SG Eddie Smith made Apr 29 at 2019 4:49 PM

2019-04-29T16:49:28-04:00

technical difficulties....

Response by SFC Brian Chambers made May 9 at 2019 10:34 PM

2019-05-09T22:34:05-04:00

I think this really show service to an action, area or and operation, its a good indicator of what some by chance or otherwise had been there a required amount of time, so I do not think they should go away!

Response by CMDCM Kermit Cain made Jul 23 at 2019 10:47 AM

2019-07-23T10:47:23-04:00

I feel that it's gotten to the point that completed a tour successfully now requires an EOT ribbon (definitely if you're E6 or above). My Company Commander was a BMC (E7) and his highest award was the GCM. You will never see a CPO without at least a couple of NAM's and a NCM or two in today's USN. Ditto on the specialist badges, you have to have one for advancement - I was a RMCS (E8) and created a communications plan that was adopted by the entire operations area in the Gulf but was informed if I did not obtain my ESWS pin I would not be eligible for promotion - a totally useless pin, other than the signing off of the book I already knew all the requirements (as ANY senior enlisted should). There's pins for everything now - let's go all the way back to the SWO's complaining that the Brown shoes had a pin and they didn't.