If you have 15 awards of the Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR), how do you reflect that on your uniform?

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 19:25:40 -0400

Sorry if this sounds dumb, but no one seems to know...
If you have a spent 15 total years overseas (4.5 combat deployment years and the rest OCONUS... Keeping in mind that combat deployment years also count as overseas years now)...
How do you wear the numeral "15" on your Overseas Ribbon... Since the number stops at 9. Do you wear two separate numbers (1 and 5)?

Response by MSG Gary Eckert made Jun 16 at 2024 9:03 PM

MSG Gary Eckert — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:03:06 -0400

Unless things have changed the numbers represent completed tours not years overseas. I guess it is possible but unlikely that you have 14 completed short tours.

Response by COL Randall C. made Jun 16 at 2024 11:28 PM

COL Randall C. — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 23:28:55 -0400

The numeral on the OSR indicates the number of total awards of the OSR, not the length of time you've spent overseas (AR 600-8-22*, para 5-4e / para 6-4).

Regarding combat deployment years counting as overseas years - yes insofar as the prohibition on the OSR being awarded if there was a campaign or service medal given for that timeframe has been rescinded. Now you can "double-dip" the deployment time, but you still need to meet the eligibility for a completed overseas tour (AR 614-30*, Para 3-3) in order to be awarded the OSR for the deployment.

For example, if you deployed in support of OEF three times, for eight months each and with a year and a half between the deployments (i.e,. 8 months deployed, 1.5 years home, 8 month deployed, etc.), you would have two years total (24 months) deployed time, but would not receive an oversea tour credit because the requirement in that country/AOR is a minimum of 11 cumulative months within a 24 month period or 9 continuous months*.
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* AR 600-8-22 (Military Awards) - https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN30935-AR_600-8-22-000-WEB-1.pdf
* AR 614-30 (Overseas Service) - https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN6427_AR614-30_WEB_Final.pdf
* Tour credit Afghanistan example - AR 614-30, Table 3-2, rules 6 and 8.

ARN30935-AR_600-8-22-000-WEB-1.pdf