GCM 2nd award. bronze or silver star ?
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  1. #1

    GCM 2nd award. bronze or silver star ?

    According to:http://homeofheroes.com/medals/ribbons/1_devices.html

    A GOLD STAR is worn for the second and subsequent awards (usually Navy, USMC, and Coast Guard awards) of the same medal to a maximum of four.



    so whats the difference between a larger gold star as a subsequent 2nd award and a small bronze star as a 2nd subsequent award ? I know the one on the right is a silver star, but medals of america didnt have the gold star option, just for the question, its a large gold star



  2. #2
    small bronze - unit awards (2nd thru 4th)
    small silver - unit awards 5th award
    large gold star - personal awards (2nd thru 4th)
    large silver star - personal award 5th award


  3. #3
    It should also be noted that such stars are, for the most part, only used for Navy/Marine Corps awards:

    - The 3/16 inch bronze stars denote subsequent, non-personal Navy/Marine awards; includes special duty ribbons, sea service/overseas ribbon, campaign medals, unit citations, and the GCM (not quite considered a personal award).
    -- The 3/16 silver star denotes every 5th subsequent award of any of those items listed for the small bronze star.

    - The 5/16 inch Gold star denotes subsequent awards of Navy/Marine personal decorations, NMCAM and above.
    --The 5/16 inch silver star denotes every 5th subsequent award of such personal decorations.

    Subsequent awards for general service (joint) and service-specific (Air Force and Army) awards are denoted by oak leaf cluster; either bronze or gold. This includes unit citations and personal awards.


  4. #4
    oh ok. I thought that the GCM was classified as a personal award. Thanks for the info.


  5. #5
    The reason I say it really is not is because it does not show up on a Marines Master Brief Sheet, nor can Marines claim the receipt of one on a Fitness Report. It's seemingly treated as if Marines should have them, that they are a given and are not necessarily earned, which I guess should be the case.


  6. #6
    Marine Free Member Quinbo's Avatar
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    There seems to be some confusion here. If you have a ribbon with 4 bronze stars on it that means you have been awarded it 5 times. The 6th award would get the silver star. The ribbon itself represents the 1st award and each star represents subsequent awards. If you have a SSDR with 4 stars on it you have been on 5 deployments. Same holds true for the GCM ... you wouldn't get a silver star until after 18 years of honorable service. Make sense?


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