One stripe Sergeant with 20 awards?

[Joshjames1234]

Good evening Marines,

The other day I saw a Marine who's uniform astonished me, to say the least. I saw a Sergeant (E-5) with one service stripe, and five rows of four ribbons. Yes, that's twenty ribbons...I did a double-take to make sure I was seeing the correct amount of rows/stripes, and I was. Unfortunately, when I saw this Marine in the packed elevator (which I had to get off at the next floor), I only had enough time to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks...I was unable to tell how many of those were personal awards.

And since then, I've been thinking about it. The Commandant has 21 ribbons, and the SMMC (we all know just how much he has done) has 22. I mean, I'm even trying to think of the best possible scenario, with each deployment being in a different place, each unit/personal decoration being different, etc...

Most people get the basic three (ND, GWOT, GC), and if you go to Afghanistan, see combat and get wounded, that's an additional 5 (Campaign, NATO, Sea Service Deployment, CAR, PH). Go to Iraq, spends time as a POW, and his unit earns a Presidential Unit Commendation, a Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and he leads in combat and gets a Commendation Medal with "V" device, that's another 5 (Campaign, POW, PUC, JMUA, Comm).

So far this guy’s stack is only at 13.

In 7 years or less, he probably could only do one B-billet, so that's one, and say he got a NAM and a MUC, that's two more. And even if he did a year in Japan and got an Overseas Service ribbon and did a 30-day training exercise in Korea and gets a Korea Defense Service Medal, there's another two. So far, that's 18.

Comes home, spends time in the States, and receives a Humanitarian Service Medal for all the community service his team does, along with a Unit Commendation, because his unit is just that hot.

Then, while he is home, he runs into myself at the Marine Corps ball, and I am so astonished when I see this guy in the elevator, that my brain short-circuited and I couldn't even think to ask SNM about how the HECK he got all those medals…especially before his second enlistment!

Has anyone seen something similar? The more I think about it, there just HAD to be at least a few he faked. Thoughts?

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Several possibilities arise....

He's not quite at the point of putting on the 2nd hashmark. Meaning instead of 4, he has very nearly 8.

Lets go with that scenario (closing in on 8, say, in December):

That puts him into about 2003.

Making him eligible to be in the initial invasion of Iraq. That gets him a PUC, SSDR, GWOTSM, Iraq Campaign, NDSM, HSM, GWOTEM. That's 7. Comes home, does another tour, Iraq again. Say he picks up a PH this time, and a NUC. That makes 9. Throw in a NAM for good measure, making 10. Also puts him at about the 4 year mark, or close. Add a GCM now. Making 11. Probably a Cpl (maybe). Reenlists, but doesn't get the 'b' billet, instead stays FMF. Pulls a tour in 'Stan this time. Gets a NavCom, Afghanistan Campaign, JMUC, and a MUC. Making 15. Makes Sgt. Gets sent to a joint billet of some sort, comes out of that with a Joint Service Achievement and a Joint Service Commendation Medal (or, perhaps, picked up one of those along the long way to get here and only gets one from the 'joint' tour), making 17. Gets tapped for a last Afghan tour, completes it successfully, ending up with the NATO (ok I forgot that from another tour LOL) and the usual 2nd/3rd stars etc. That makes 18. While home, he's involved in his son's scout troop, getting the Volunteer Service medal. His monitor assigns him to Recruiter/DI school as he needs the 'B' billet, and now he rates that ribbon as well. Thus, making a total of 20.

These days, while unusual, we have to remember that multiple tours make multiple awards. Sitting across from me at this point is a LCpl who has two tours, and 12 medals/awards, including NavCom, (V) NAM, (V) Joint Achievement, PH (x2) and all the campaign awards, etc.

A few years back I wouldn't have believed it, either, but I'll say before I 'azzume' these days, it's possible, if not unusual.

[Quinbo]

Maybe just a glance gave you a 4 by 5 appearance on what could have been a 3 by 5. Without CMC approval you can not wear your ribbons 4 wide .... to lazy to look it up but I think the cut off for 4 wide is 24

[thewookie]

Why not just ask him, I know you said your brain "froze" but that would have been the easiest way.

Good luck, way to stay on top of things, next time just ask.

[AAV Crewchief]

Good evening Marines,

The other day I saw a Marine who's uniform astonished me, to say the least. I saw a Sergeant (E-5) with one service stripe, and five rows of four ribbons. Yes, that's twenty ribbons...I did a double-take to make sure I was seeing the correct amount of rows/stripes, and I was. Unfortunately, when I saw this Marine in the packed elevator (which I had to get off at the next floor), I only had enough time to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks...I was unable to tell how many of those were personal awards.

And since then, I've been thinking about it. The Commandant has 21 ribbons, and the SMMC (we all know just how much he has done) has 22. I mean, I'm even trying to think of the best possible scenario, with each deployment being in a different place, each unit/personal decoration being different, etc...

Most people get the basic three (ND, GWOT, GC), and if you go to Afghanistan, see combat and get wounded, that's an additional 5 (Campaign, NATO, Sea Service Deployment, CAR, PH). Go to Iraq, spends time as a POW, and his unit earns a Presidential Unit Commendation, a Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and he leads in combat and gets a Commendation Medal with "V" device, that's another 5 (Campaign, POW, PUC, JMUA, Comm).

So far this guy’s stack is only at 13.

In 7 years or less, he probably could only do one B-billet, so that's one, and say he got a NAM and a MUC, that's two more. And even if he did a year in Japan and got an Overseas Service ribbon and did a 30-day training exercise in Korea and gets a Korea Defense Service Medal, there's another two. So far, that's 18.

Comes home, spends time in the States, and receives a Humanitarian Service Medal for all the community service his team does, along with a Unit Commendation, because his unit is just that hot.

Then, while he is home, he runs into myself at the Marine Corps ball, and I am so astonished when I see this guy in the elevator, that my brain short-circuited and I couldn't even think to ask SNM about how the HECK he got all those medals…especially before his second enlistment!

Has anyone seen something similar? The more I think about it, there just HAD to be at least a few he faked. Thoughts?

So many folks have multi tours and now that community service is pushed like flies on a stank ho, you have guys who look like PX heroes, but are not, they are the real deal.

[sgtjimh]

I saw a Gunnery Sgt at El Toro with no hash marks and ribbons forever. He had the basic Viet Nam stuff, couple of Purple Hearts and a Silver Star amongst others. He was re training into the air wing after a jungle tour with the grunts. Anything is possible in a combat environment. Semper Fi

[awbrown1462]

Prior Army they get medals for everything

[thewookie]

Prior Army they get medals for everything

True, but they can't wear the ghey ones while in the Corps - like the grenade throwing one and some of the other ones -- like showing up for duty and stuff.

[AAV Crewchief]

True, but they can't wear the ghey ones while in the Corps - like the grenade throwing one and some of the other ones -- like showing up for duty and stuff.

I love it when I am in my AF dress uniform and some idiot asks me why I don't have one of their "Boot Camp" graduation ribbons. I just inform them that Parris Island gave me an exemption to that little edification.

[Zulu 36]

I love it when I am in my AF dress uniform and some idiot asks me why I don't have one of their "Boot Camp" graduation ribbons. I just inform them that Parris Island gave me an exemption to that little edification.

I ended up with the AF Training Ribbon anyway. Didn't ask for it, just showed up in my file after I went to a SP tactics school at Lackland (a waste of time/taxpayer's money for any Marine or combat vet).

[Joshjames1234]

Prior Army they get medals for everything

That is a possibility, but as others have said, most of those ribbons aren't authorized on Marine uniforms...such as the training ribbon, NCO development ribbon, etc.

[jerryk]

even young marines like to empress people with all the fruit salad, to a old vietnam marine it dont mean a thing ,most are unit ribbons anyway that all got in the unit unless you can see a ph or above

[Marinefelon]

Its possible.
1.)National Defense
2.)GWOT
3.)GWOT-ex
4.)Iraq
5.)Afghanistan
6.)Nato
7.)Combat Action
8.)Good Conduct
9.)PUC
10.)MUC
11.)NUC
12.)Sea Service
13.)Nam
14.)Navy Com
15.)Korea
16.) SMCR (if he got off active duty and went reserve)
17.) Armed Forces Reserve (if mobilized while reserve)
18.) Overseas (1 yr NOT sea service)
19.) Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal (rarely seen but I have seen this for people from MEU's)
20.) Bronze star
21.) Silver Star
22.) Drill Instructor
23.) recruiter
24.) MSG
25.) JMUC
26.) Arctic (MEU)
27.) Humanitarian
28.) Volunteer
29.) Purple Heart

Do-able and then some. It does seem like a lot. But if you did 2 combat deployments and a 31st Meu and most likely were a grunt. This could realistically happen. I work in Wounded Warrior BN and see LCpls and Cpls with No hash marks and 10+ ribbons all over the place.

[Marinefelon]

even young marines like to empress people with all the fruit salad, to a old vietnam marine it dont mean a thing ,most are unit ribbons anyway that all got in the unit unless you can see a ph or above

Disagree there are only 5 possible unit awards

PUC, JMUA, NUC, MUC, Battle E


And
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Combat Action Medal

These are Personal awards below Purple Hearts. Although enlisted guys will not see those 1st 3.

[Nedward]

You are not authorized to wear the GWOT EX with Afghanistan or Iraq Campaign, the Campaign medals are a replacement to the GWOT EX.