Military medals on jackets

[davedove]

Taken from AR (Army Regulation) 670–1 • 3 February 2005. I'm sure the other services have similar regulations, but I would check to be sure of the details.

29–9. Wear of miniature decorations and service medals
a. Miniature medals are replicas of regular size medals, made to a scale of one-half the size of the original. Except
for the Medal of Honor, for which there is no miniature, only miniature decorations and service medals are authorized
for wear on the mess and evening mess uniforms. Personnel will not wear full-size medals, service and training
ribbons, or U.S. and foreign unit award emblems with miniature medals. Only the dress miniature-size combat and
special skill badges are worn with miniature medals.
b. Miniature decorations and service medals are authorized for wear on the following uniforms.
(1) Male personnel. On the Army white and blue uniforms, the white and blue mess and evening mess uniforms;
and on the left lapel of formal civilian attire, when wear of Army uniforms is inappropriate or not authorized.
Miniature badges are authorized for wear on the AG shade 415 shirt. (See para 29–17b for wear of combat and special
skill badges with miniature medals; see paragraphs 29–17c and 29–18d for wear of combat and special skill badges on
the AG shade 415 shirt.)
(2) Female personnel. On the Army white and blue uniforms; the white, all-white, black, or blue mess uniforms; the
Army white, blue, or black evening mess uniforms; and on the left side of formal civilian attire when wear of Army
uniforms is inappropriate or not authorized. Miniature badges are authorized for wear on the AG shade 415 shirt. (See
para 29–17b for wear of combat and special skill badges with miniature medals; see paragraphs 29–17c and 29–18d for
wear of combat and special skill badges on the AG shade 415 shirt.)

30–6. Wear of medals on civilian clothes
Retired personnel and former members of the Army (as described above) may wear all categories of medals described
in this regulation on appropriate civilian clothing. This includes clothes designed for veteran and patriotic organizations
on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and Armed Forces Day, as well as at formal occasions of ceremony and social
functions of a military nature. Personnel may wear either full-size or miniature medals. Personnel who wear medals on
civilian clothes should place the medals on the clothing in approximately the same location and in the same manner as
for the Army uniform, so they look similar to medals worn on the Army uniform.

[macwilkin]

Oh, and that's the Order of British Columbia that Smokey is wearing, not the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada is red and white.

Shane

don't blame me, Shane, blame wikipedia! ;)

T.

[Dodge]

If you are wearing a civvie dress jacket, use mini-medals on a single bar on the left lapel in order of importance.

Federal -State-Service Commemorative-Organizational.

[Robin]

In the Netherlands:

Military medals:
-Black tie....never.
-White tie...miniatures, but only when stated on the invitation.
-Daywear jacket, only on liberation day, veterans day and rememberance day...full medals.

Unit citations for bravery (Miltary Williams Order) are only attached to the unit or branch banners...these are close to holy and all (including the queen) must salute (or bow to) them.

Civilian medals (Royal household orders, Knighthood orders):
-Black tie...never.
-White tie...the whole shebang.
-Daywear jackets...small button hole ribbon or nothing.

[PiobBear]

I hardly ever see full-size medals except on Remembrance Day, and on our Drum Major when he's in full dress. I see miniatures quite often at any black-tie function; left lapel. The only time I ever see decorations with day wear is Remembrance Day and SAMS, which seem to wear their ribbons all the time.

I remember once a fellow showed up for a parade with a chest full of JROTC/ROTC ribbons that would make a field marshal blush. With the gentle encouragement of the numerous British, Canadian, and American combat veterans in our band, he never made that mistake again.

[mcvarmit]

are you still on active duty? if you are, better follow the regs. if your out of the military, wear what you want. i'm a former marine and i wear mine on any occasion, in fact the veterans admin. has asked all vets. to wear their awards and decoration, on all social occasions, parades, weddings, whatever. if i can get it together i will post pic's of myself in formal usmc dress, well sort of. i wear my mini medals on a pc.

slick

[CelticRanger66]

I am on Active Duty with the U S Army and I wear my medals and combat badges on civilian jackets. When I can if only to foster discussion. When I wear my PC I wear my miniature medals on my left lapel like on mess dress, but on Veterans and Memorial day I wear full dress and full size medals. But my father wears his full size on his Argyll Jacket with his kilt. ( He served from 1948 to 1981 and has a daily coffee club with a few British vets and a Foreign Legion vet )And the OLD Command Sergeant Major Says, "If you earned them WEAR 'EM with pride" CR66

[Joe Gondek]

My last duty station in the Army was "THE OLD GUARD" in Wash.D.C.
We wore full size on our dress blues and ribions on our class A uniform

I agree that if you earned them wear them

I do think that the miniture would look better on an Argyll and either one on a PC

[Joe Gondek]

Sir Robert wrote

Right now in America is is cool to be a Service Member, it wasn't before, It will not be in the future, abuse it now while you can, before it goes out of fashon.

Reminds me of Kipling's 'Tommy'

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

[thescot]

Medals and badges are personal decorations, and even we Devil Dogs are permitted to wear them with our civilian attire. They are personal, and not exactly military or branch specific. With a plain khaki shirt, I will wear ribbons on occassion; with dress, the mini-medals. I don't even own the gongs.

I would never wear dress blues or a uniform-specific item with my kilt (or blue jeans, or a tee shirt, etc.), but even when I was on active duty (Christ was a corporal and Chesty was a pup), we sometimes wore our field jackets as long as there was no rank insignia or Marine Corps emblem on them. And I was an MP! (MPs were charged with enforcing dress regs.)

I am glad to see that our fellow Ji-reen is sensitive about proper wearing of the uniform, but it's OK with the commandant for former Marines (there are on ex-Marines) to wear their medals and badges. I even put on my rifle and pistol badges with the ribbons. They do not mark me as a Marine, only as one who has served.

You can look up the Scottish American Military Society and see their practices with regard to this. They--like us--are kind of picky about these things, too.

Semper Fi, oooh-rah, and goodnight, Chesty, where ever you are.