What did your crowds call the National Defense Medal?

Cpl Shane Cunningham — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 00:44:57 -0500

I heard ketchup stain in the USMC.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Mar 10 at 2019 12:46 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 00:46:37 -0500

Heard it once referred to as the Hudson River Valley Occupational Medal

Response by CPT Andrew Wright made Mar 10 at 2019 5:33 AM

CPT Andrew Wright — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 05:33:23 -0400

The older Vietnam vets I served with called it the Fire Guard ribbon.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2019 9:16 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 09:16:49 -0400

My father-in-law (a Navy Retiree) called it a "gee-dunk" ("ee" as in tea), but we just learned it as the McDonalds medal as everyone when I joined had one and had to order the GWOTSM (Burger King medal) and ASR (rainbow or other term).

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 10 at 2019 9:28 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 09:28:39 -0400

Firewatch ribbon

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2019 11:53 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 11:53:27 -0400

Firewatch ribbon

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Mar 10 at 2019 1:19 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 13:19:30 -0400

Gedunk Medal. That and we had to learn what the colors stood for.
Red is for the blood I didn't shed, white is for the skies I never flown, blue is for the seas I never sailed, and yellow is the reason why. We had to pipe that out in boot all the time.

Response by LTC Tom Jones made Mar 10 at 2019 1:40 PM

LTC Tom Jones — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 13:40:24 -0400

“Alive in ‘65.”

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2019 5:42 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 17:42:25 -0400

sketti (spaghetti) stain

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2019 6:10 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 18:10:48 -0400

Real question is; how do so many junior service members manage to mount it upside down on their ribbon bar?

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Mar 12 at 2019 9:26 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 21:26:36 -0400

Shirley Highway Ribbon in Quantico/DC area, the Firewatch Ribbon in the rest of the USA

Response by PO2 John Rennolds made Aug 1 at 2019 1:19 PM

PO2 John Rennolds — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 13:19:39 -0400

Alive in '65, was the Coast Guard nick name.