star device on combat action ribbon

[HARDLUCK88]

i was told this is not authorized, it is awarded once and that is it, but i see Marines all the time with the star on it, for instance, i saw a Marine at the ball once who was in desert storm and saw combat, and then later in OEF1 saw combat again, and got a star on his CAR, but my buddy has 2 purple hearts from 2 different deployments and he was told he did not rate a star because it is not allowed... i understand that desert storm/shield and OEF/OIF are different time frames, but they are all in the gulf... any links to real info? my uniform book doesnt make mention of it...

thanks!

[WKranz]

Nothing conclusive, but guys I know who saw combat in oef and oif have a star on the car they wear. Saw it in the pictures of our NCOs of the quarters just today.

[TinDragon]

According to paragraph 3 of this ALMAR from 06 (http://www.marines.mil/news/messages...%20RIBBON.aspx) a gold star is worn if you meet the criteria for the CAR in both OIF and OEF. You can only receive a CAR once in either of those operations.

"3. THE REMAINDER OF THE TEXT CONTAINED IN REF A IS RETAINED. OF
NOTE, PARA 230.14.C. THEREIN, WHICH STATES, 'ONLY ONE AWARD PER
OPERATION IS AUTHORIZED,' REMAINS VALID. EXISTING POLICY AND
CURRENT PRACTICE ALLOWS A MARINE TO EARN ONE CAR FOR ELIGIBLE
ACTIONS IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND ONE FOR ELIGIBLE ACTIONS IN
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENTS TO
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM OR OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM WOULD NOT EARN
AN ADDITIONAL AWARD, EVEN IF A MARINE PARTICIPATED IN ELIGIBLE
COMBAT ACTIONS."

[Sgt Leprechaun]

And there you have it. Different 'wars/conflicts/operations' get you a CAR if you rate it. Thus, the Marine who served in Desert Storm and earned one, who also served in OIF/OEF, can earn one more.

[HARDLUCK88]

According to paragraph 3 of this ALMAR from 06 (http://www.marines.mil/news/messages...%20RIBBON.aspx) a gold star is worn if you meet the criteria for the CAR in both OIF and OEF. You can only receive a CAR once in either of those operations.

"3. THE REMAINDER OF THE TEXT CONTAINED IN REF A IS RETAINED. OF
NOTE, PARA 230.14.C. THEREIN, WHICH STATES, 'ONLY ONE AWARD PER
OPERATION IS AUTHORIZED,' REMAINS VALID. EXISTING POLICY AND
CURRENT PRACTICE ALLOWS A MARINE TO EARN ONE CAR FOR ELIGIBLE
ACTIONS IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND ONE FOR ELIGIBLE ACTIONS IN
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENTS TO
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM OR OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM WOULD NOT EARN
AN ADDITIONAL AWARD, EVEN IF A MARINE PARTICIPATED IN ELIGIBLE
COMBAT ACTIONS."

so if my Masterguns saw combat in viet nam, desert storm, oef, and oif, that means he can have 3 stars on his CAR? ( note i said 3 stars because the 3 stars are subsequent of the original award ).
but my frend joe was in oif 1 and 2 so that doesnt count...


*******

[HARDLUCK88]

Nothing conclusive, but guys I know who saw combat in oef and oif have a star on the car they wear. Saw it in the pictures of our NCOs of the quarters just today.

what unit are you with?

[TinDragon]

so if my Masterguns saw combat in viet nam, desert storm, oef, and oif, that means he can have 3 stars on his CAR? ( note i said 3 stars because the 3 stars are subsequent of the original award ).
but my frend joe was in oif 1 and 2 so that doesnt count...

Wikipedia says multiple awards are shown with silver and gold award stars. Working on checking the authenticity.

[HARDLUCK88]

Wikipedia says multiple awards are shown with silver and gold award stars. Working on checking the authenticity.

from what i remember only NAM's and CAR's rate only gold stars... but i could be wrong

[TinDragon]

from what i remember only NAM's and CAR's rate only gold stars... but i could be wrong

Well, since a silver star is awarded for 5 gold stars, it'd be tricky to find anyone who would even rate a silver star.

Unless you meant that those are the only ones that rate gold stars, which is close to true... it's awarded for "combat or meritorious" related awards, as opposed to a bronze for simple... achievement ones I guess you could say, like a Sea Service Deployment ribbon.

[HARDLUCK88]

yeah, exactly, those are the only ones i think that get only gold stars to denote multiple awards, there might be other ones, maybe meritorious service ribbon gets only gold stars too i forget...

[ARTYPIG]

Any personal decorations that are not given to a unit such as the CAR, NAM, NCM, and the other higher awards with the exception of the GCM have the gols star attached. When you reach 5 subsequent awards it is then represented by a silver star.

[haebyungdae]

Here is the exact text from SECNAVINST 1650.1H dated 2006, which to my understanding is the latest Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual available.

And per this manual it is gold stars for subsequent awards just like what was stated earlier.

COMBAT ACTION RIBBON ELIGIBILITY PERIODS
An individual whose eligibility has been established in combat
in any of the following listed operations may be authorized
award of the Combat Action Ribbon. Only one award per operation
is authorized.This listing is not all-inclusive, as the Combat
Action Ribbon has been awarded in minor operations, as well as
for specific actions.

Applicable operations from the beginning of the 90s:

10. Operation JUST CAUSE (Panama) : 20 Dec 89 to 31 Jan
90. (No ships qualified. )
11. Operation SHARP EDGE: 5 to 24 Aug 90. (No ships
qualified.)
12. Operation DESERT STORM: 17 Jan 91 to 28 Feb 91.
13. El Salvador: 1 Jan 81 to 1 Feb 92.
14. Operation RESTORE HOPE (Somalia): 5 Dec 92 to 31 Mar
95. (No ships qualified. )
15. Cambodia: 1 Jun 92 to 15 Nov 93.
16. Operation ASSURED RESPONSE (Monrovia, Liberia) : 7 to
18 Apr 96. (No ships qualified.)
17. Kosovo Campaign: 24 Mar 99 to 27 Jan 00.
18. Operation ENDURING FREEDOM: 11 Sep 01 to TBD.
19. Operation IRAQI FREEDOM: 19 Mar 03 to TBD.

And also, every quarter or so there's usually an Awards Update MARADMIN that is published. Those MARADMINs will have alot
of things in them that are not in the Awards Manual, cause it doesn't get updated often.

Hope this helps.

[Silentwarrior17]

Browne is dead on with what he posted. IOT get multiple CAR stars you have to see combat in more than one operation. Since OIF is one operation (war) you will only get the combat action ribbon once no matter how many times you deploy and see combat there. If you are part of OEF and see combat you get the combat action ribbon, or star if you have been a part of anther operation. Now whoever told your buddy that he doesn't rate a star on his purp heart is full of crap. It doesn't matter what operation you are apart of. Got a buddy who was wounded 3 times in one deployment and he rates the purp heart w/ 2 stars. Tell your buddy to check into it and if MOL or his SRB say he rates 2 purp hearts, then he rates a star on it regardless of what anyone says.

[00101010]

Browne is dead on with what he posted. IOT get multiple CAR stars you have to see combat in more than one operation. Since OIF is one operation (war) you will only get the combat action ribbon once no matter how many times you deploy and see combat there. If you are part of OEF and see combat you get the combat action ribbon, or star if you have been a part of anther operation. Now whoever told your buddy that he doesn't rate a star on his purp heart is full of crap. It doesn't matter what operation you are apart of. Got a buddy who was wounded 3 times in one deployment and he rates the purp heart w/ 2 stars. Tell your buddy to check into it and if MOL or his SRB say he rates 2 purp hearts, then he rates a star on it regardless of what anyone says.

Exactly.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

so if my Masterguns saw combat in viet nam, desert storm, oef, and oif, that means he can have 3 stars on his CAR? ( note i said 3 stars because the 3 stars are subsequent of the original award ).
but my frend joe was in oif 1 and 2 so that doesnt count...


*******

Correct.