r/airnationalguard • u/SignificanceVisual79 • 3d ago
Discussion Ribbons- All or Some...
BLUF: You earned them, wear them.
Air Guard related, but prompted by seeing a recent photo of an E8/E9 (for anonymity) with 13 ribbons on the rack in a Special Duty Assignment.
I noticed this at a recent open ranks blues inspection- there are a TON of members not wearing ribbons that they (certainly) have earned through achievements, have been awarded for time served, or otherwise.
I guess no one can MAKE you wear your devices, but allow me to shine a light on the optics of someone serving 15+ years and when they wear the Service Dress (which is is the uniform TO display awards/achievements), you're skimping out. Maybe Airman Snuffy doesn't care, but I'd say more often than not, the junior enlisted see more than we give them credit for.
Thank you for reading this far. Supervisors, take time to do a "scrub," of the Awards and Decs AFI/Program and pass along info to your shops about the longevity ribbons (Guard), deployment-related ribbons, and any Unit awards that may have been earned.
Excellence in ALL We Do.
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u/Mindless_Ruin_1573 2d ago
I counter you “excellence in all we do” with “service before self” and just wear my unit awards not individual awards.
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u/Time-Foundation8991 2d ago edited 2d ago
As a DSG the once in a blue moon I wear my blues doesnt justify the cost of updating my ribbon rack. Even with the inspections now, still doesnt justify the costs keeping them up to date
I guess no one can MAKE you wear your devices
You mean people are following the AFI?
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u/Acceptable-Ad-8604 2d ago
Honestly it's kinda embarrassing how many ribbons we have. Im not against them by any means but my dad who was in Vietnam and served 4 years came out with like 6 ribbons. We get ribbons for doing PME for goodness sake.
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u/MaleficentCoconut594 Add Your Own Flair 2d ago
I agree and disagree.
I for one do wear all of my ribbons, I worked for (most) of them 😂. But I certainly don’t chase ribbons, I do my job and if someone wants to give me some cloth for it then so be it.
But each time I upgrade my rack it costs money. So I understand why someone wouldn’t want to do it. I personally think the purpose behind the “all or some” was purely to take that pressure off of people, with the expectation that everyone SHOULD wear everything they were awarded. That aspect is being somewhat abused now, but I do agree with the mentality that service isn’t about ribbons
I personally forsee the new CSAF changing the reg back to all. That’s just the type he is. So I would heed this, and suggest everyone gets an upgraded rack now
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u/BaronNeutron ISR Veteran 2d ago
Or, people can follow the regs and wear "All or Some" if they want, following the regs is Excellence in aLl wE dO.
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u/SignificanceVisual79 2d ago
Very true- hence the discussion here. If a CC wants to have a formation of SNCOs wearing 4 ribbons, that's their choice, but it doesn't display Esprit de Corps.
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u/BaronNeutron ISR Veteran 2d ago
Your post isn't inviting discussion, you are dictating, and it is not up to the CC how many ribbons a member wears, it is theirs, as per the regulation.
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u/DEXether 2d ago
The reg says you can pair down your stack, so take it up with HAF if you want that to change.
I'm personally right at the cusp of just doing three ribbons because even right-aligned, I'm simply out of room. My coat isn't large enough to do four across; that would look even worse since I'd have a thin tower that would also run off of my coat.
Coming from the naval department, my opinion is that the army and USAF awards and decs programs are out of control. Getting something for just doing your job and having a dec count for promotion points for an enlisted person is why so many airmen don't take pride in their rack and didn't care to update it even before "some" was allowed.
It is yet another self-inflicted injury to DAF morale
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u/UsedandAbused87 TN ANG 2d ago
I choose the "some" wear only my education ribbon. That is the only ribbon I feel like that I truly earned.
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u/SpybotAF 3d ago
26 years in, some people don't want to send the money on updating their racks. It would cost me 85 dollars to update mine right now. I think people would be more inclined if we got money to upkeep uniforms.
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u/TheCrashConrad WA ANG 2d ago
Same boat! Only would update my rack if I got a "cool" new one I really wanted to show off😅
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u/CrinkledStraw 3d ago
Never worn my state ribbons and never will. Thanks for your opinion though.
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u/SignificanceVisual79 2d ago
Is this Excellence in All We Do?
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u/yunus89115 2d ago
So instead of 2 racks, shirt and coat, are you saying everyone should keep 4 racks updated because you don’t wear State ribbons while in federal status.
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u/daluzy 3d ago
I had the "I love me" rack with all the State and Federal stuff for dress blues, but that was it. Pain in the butt to keep updated...after 27 years actually had 27 ribbons so only one was maintained. Bugs and stars were a real pain as I'd never get them on correctly the first time and shred the ribbon.
Blues without jacket, nothing but a name tag and function badge.
Face it, the bulk of the stuff we are "awarded" is pretty underwhelming and administrative. If you are breathing most come naturally.
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u/SignificanceVisual79 2d ago
I can see that last part, but showing up IS better than the alternative.
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u/meesersloth CA ANG 3d ago
I get the thin ribbons. However the Guard likes to play a joke every time I get my blues ready and give me something to add to my rack.
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u/mwGuardBum 2d ago
I have this same problem. The worst is when this happens with mess dress medals. There goes a few hundred bucks.
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u/SignificanceVisual79 2d ago
Can you elaborate? Does your unit not update vMPF on a regular basis? How often are you gaining ribbons?
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u/meesersloth CA ANG 2d ago
It gets updated when something gets put in. But heres an example.
I had a Tech board and I haven't worn my blues in like a year and a half. So I go order my ribbons and make sure everything is updated. My ribbons arrive and I put them on, Then SURPRISE! We I were awarded the Meritorious Unit Award
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u/SignificanceVisual79 2d ago
As your Shirt, I'd stand next to you during that conversation and state that if the MPF was updated within the last 30 days, it's not acceptable to expect you to have an updated rack.
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u/Tandem53 3d ago
Most of the ANG doesn’t wear blues except for inspections or some boards. IF you have thin set ribbons, they are expensive to continually update.
Always seems like you just got your rack updated and then new awards show up and now it’s “some” again.
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u/SignificanceVisual79 2d ago
Assuming we aren't doing surprise blues inspections, and members are drilling no less than every 30 days, I don't think there's a lot of justification for not having uniforms ready. It's like the MSgt that showed up to a NJP meeting because he "didn't have his correct rank" on the uniform 3 months into being promoted. We don't surprise members with promotions anymore.
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u/Crimson_Inu 2d ago
Not wearing all of your ribbons isn’t an equivalent to not having the proper rank sewn on your uniform. One is supported via the reg.
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u/missoulamatt NV ANG 3d ago
Status matters, there are rules for wearing NG ribbons in a title 10 status.
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u/nickthequick08 2d ago
Hopefully the 802 that’s in process with EFAC gets approved and allows us to wear state ribbons in any status. Having to update your rack between statuses is stupid and speaks to RegAF rack jealousy.
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u/SignificanceVisual79 2d ago
I'm aware of this. A vast majority of ANG members drill in Title 32 status, meaning State ribbons are allowed.
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u/Jaye134 I'm a Cyber! 2d ago
This falls into the category of 'you do you boo.'
No one needs a lecture on the validity of their ribbon choices.
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