The Operational Distinguishing Device ("O" device) is a miniature silver 5 ⁄ 16 inch letter "O" that is authorized by the United States Coast Guard as a ribbon device which may be authorized for wear on certain awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard .
14-486: The "O" device is either centered on the suspension and service ribbon of the medal or unit award ribbon, or to the middle-right if there are an even number of letter devices on the ribbon. Any authorized gold 5 ⁄ 16 Inch Stars alternate around the "O" device. The first star is placed to the wearer’s right of the "O" device and the second star is placed to wearer's left of the "O" device. Only one "O" device may be worn per ribbon. Eligibility criteria are based on
28-487: A broader sense also history ( art history ), sociology , and anthropology . In terms of objects, these include award items such as medals and their accessories, ribbon bars , badges , pins , award certificate documentation, etc., and phaleristics may also designate the field of collecting related items. Although established as a scientific sub-discipline of history, phaleristics usually studies orders and decorations "detached from their bodies". King George VI loved
42-511: A dead relative on the right side of the chest. Medals and ribbons not specifically mentioned in the "Order of wear" are also generally worn on the right side of the chest. Sequencing of the ribbons depends on each country's regulations. In the United States, for example, those with the highest status—typically awarded for heroism or distinguished service—are placed at the top of the display, while foreign decorations (when allowed) are last in
56-401: A larger impact on the battlefield. In times of war, it is not uncommon for commanders and other high value individuals to wear no markings on their uniforms and wear clothing and insignia of a lower ranking soldier. Service medals and ribbons are generally worn in rows on the left side of the chest. In certain commemorative or memorial circumstances, a relative may wear the medals or ribbons of
70-447: A member's or unit's direct participation in missions of an operational "hands on" nature. To qualify for this device on a decoration, both the person's work and unit must be operational in nature. Such examples include search and rescue , fire fighting , maritime law enforcement , disaster relief , pollution response , and aids to navigation maintenance and operations. The decision to authorize an Operational Distinguishing Device
84-456: A standard practice of wearing full service ribbons on combat utility clothing. Others strictly prohibit this. These regulations are generally similar to the regulations regarding display of rank insignia and regulations regarding saluting of more senior ranks. The reasoning for such regulations is to prevent these displays from enabling opposing forces to easily identify persons of higher rank and therefore aid them in choosing targets which will have
98-481: A variety of colors. In the case of the U.S. government, it maintains a specific list of colors used on its ribbons, based on the Pantone Matching System and Federal Standard 595 color systems: There is a variety of constructions of service ribbons. In some countries, service ribbons are mounted on a "pin backing", which can be pushed through the fabric of a uniform and secured, with fasteners, on
112-589: Is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each country's government has its own rules on what ribbons can be worn in what circumstances and in which order. This is usually defined in an official document and is called "the order of precedence" or "the order of wearing." In some countries (particularly in North America and in Israel), some awards are "ribbon only," having no associated medal. According to
126-400: Is made by the award approving authority, giving a wide discretion as to what actions may qualify. The Operational Distinguishing Device may be authorized for wear on the following awards: Personal awards Unit awards Service ribbon A medal ribbon , service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon , mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which
140-451: Is purple with a white vertical stripe at each end (see photo). However, there are some military awards that do not have a suspension ribbon, but have an authorized ribbon and unit award emblem. The Soviet Order of Victory is a badge that was worn on the military parade uniform. However, a ribbon bar representing the Order of Victory was worn on a military field uniform. Ribbon bars come in
154-415: The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the U.S. military's standard size for a ribbon bar is 1 + 3 ⁄ 8 inches (35 mm) wide, 3 ⁄ 8 inch (9.5 mm) tall, with a thickness of 0.8 mm. The service ribbon for a specific medal is usually identical to the suspension ribbon on the medal. For example, the suspension and service ribbon for the U.S. government's Purple Heart medal
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#1732798190543168-883: The United States, the different federal uniformed services have different standards for wearing ribbon bars on uniforms. Phaleristics Phaleristics , from the Greek mythological hero Phalerus (Greek: Φάληρος , Phaleros ) via the Latin phalera ('heroics'), sometimes spelled faleristics , is an auxiliary science of history and numismatics which studies orders , fraternities , and award items , such as medals , ribbons , and other decorations. The subject includes orders of chivalry (including military orders ), orders of merit , and fraternal orders . These may all in turn be official, national, state entities, or civil, religious, or academic-related ones. The field of study also comprises comparative honour systems , and thus in
182-1994: The bottom rows. When medals are worn (typically on the left side of a shirt or jacket), ribbons with no corresponding medals are worn on the right side. The study, history and collection of ribbons, among other military decorations, is known as phaleristics (sometimes spelled faleristics by users of U.S. English). [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] In
196-763: The inside edge. These ribbons can be individually secured and then lined up, or they can be all mounted on to a single fastener. After the Second World War, it was common for all ribbons to be mounted on a single metal bar and worn in a manner similar to a brooch. Other methods of wearing have included physically sewing each service ribbon onto the uniform garments. "Orders of wearing" define which ribbons may be worn on which types of uniform in which positions under which circumstances. For example, miniature medals on dinner dress, full medals on parade dress, ribbons on dress shirts, but no decorations on combat dress and working clothing. Some countries (such as Cuba ) maintain
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