How do Marines keep up with their full size medals on uniform? Does the Corps do this for you?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 13:32:42 -0400

How do you keep up with the full size medals for your uniform? Does the Corps do this for you? If not, I imagine maintaining them gets pretty expensive. Educate me, Marines.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2015 1:34 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 13:34:38 -0400

Give me the scoop...

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Mar 27 at 2015 2:27 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 14:27:12 -0400

I have found myself wondering the same thing...would really like to know the answer.

Response by PO1 Dustin Adams made Mar 27 at 2015 2:36 PM

PO1 Dustin Adams — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 14:36:55 -0400

Sir,
Not a Marine but spent most of my career with them. Generally you will get one when it is awarded, after that it is up to the individual to maintain them, just like ribbons.

I usually only had to wear them a couple times a year at most, truthfully if it wasn't a new medal I wouldn't usually update for just a star.

My last set before I retired was about $150 (medals and mounting) and that wasn't even for anodized medals which are more.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 27 at 2015 2:46 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 14:46:28 -0400

You get 1 non-anodized medal when it is awarded. You buy the anodized ones.

It's not so bad when you have 1-4, because you can reuse them for the blues. When you hit 5, you have to "overlap" them. At $20~ each, it's expensive, and you almost pray you don't get another. So it's 1-4 side by side, then 5-7 overlapping. 8 is two sets of 4 side by side.

But... We also don't get them in the same quantities as the other branches.

I was in 8 years and I had: NMCC (End of Tour), NAM, GCM, ND, AFEM. I rated GWSM based on service time, but was never awarded it. So 6~, but only ever wore 4. Most folks I knew never went past 3 rows (15 medals), and that included Gulf War 1 stuff.

Response by SSgt Randy Saulsberry made Mar 27 at 2015 2:46 PM

SSgt Randy Saulsberry — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 14:46:56 -0400

It's easy. The one we are given at award ceremonies is kept as a display. And since we only wear them for the birthday ball, every year we buy another set. They are expensive but it's a once a year purchase

Response by MSgt Jim Pollock made Mar 27 at 2015 3:42 PM

MSgt Jim Pollock — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 15:42:19 -0400

Sgt Kennedy... Had to laugh about the "Gulf War 1 stuff." I used to call it the Desert Storm gift pack. Looks good, and well deserved, but I bet it was a hit to those folks' wallets!

Response by Sgt Cody Dumont made Mar 27 at 2015 8:48 PM

Sgt Cody Dumont — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 20:48:56 -0400

Like most things, Marines buy our own uniform items.

Response by Sgt Cody Dumont made Mar 27 at 2015 8:50 PM

Sgt Cody Dumont — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 20:50:18 -0400

Add to my previous comment, Marines also don't get Navy Coms or Navy Achiements for being first to chow like either ;).

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2015 11:19 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 23:19:09 -0400

Ive never been given a single medal i have, i had to pay for them all out of pocket. I just take care of them and reuse them every year for the Birthday Ball. each medal cost about $10-15 so the Marines who have 10+ medals take care of them not to be buying new ones every year.