Posted on Jul 9, 2018
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I was discharged from active duty from the marines in 1991. My DD-214 shows a handful of ribbons I rated, but not all. I ordered my full SRB through the archives. In my SRB, were all of the ribbons that rated and I wore while active and some I received that I didn't know about. Questions is: Am I only authorized to wear the ribbons that are shown on my DD-214, or, can I wear the ribbons that are in my SRB?? I ask because I belong to a Marine Corps League detachment and wear my medals/ribbons on that uniform.
DD214
Ribbons
Medals
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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There is a form you can submit to adjust your DD214 to reflect additional awards or decorations not included in the original. This has happened with several of my friends and their retirement LOMs. It will take me a minute to locate the form number as I can't remember it off the top of my head.
You are authorized to wear what ever you have earned. Just be sure you have orders, an ERB or other documentation that supports your claim. Personally I prefer orders as while the ERB is an official document they have no signature verifying authenticity where as orders have numbers and signatures that can be verified under scrutiny.
I have 10 AAMs; so I have to wear two AAM ribbons or violate the rules on the number of oak leaves on a ribbon. I have a two racks set up, one with the two and one with a silver and four oak leaves on one. Never been questioned on the five oak leaves " which is technically incorrect " but frequently have to pull out the excerpt from the reg and DD214 that I carry in my pocket and answer "why I have two of the same ribbon" which is the proper wear but looks odd.
You are authorized to wear what ever you have earned. Just be sure you have orders, an ERB or other documentation that supports your claim. Personally I prefer orders as while the ERB is an official document they have no signature verifying authenticity where as orders have numbers and signatures that can be verified under scrutiny.
I have 10 AAMs; so I have to wear two AAM ribbons or violate the rules on the number of oak leaves on a ribbon. I have a two racks set up, one with the two and one with a silver and four oak leaves on one. Never been questioned on the five oak leaves " which is technically incorrect " but frequently have to pull out the excerpt from the reg and DD214 that I carry in my pocket and answer "why I have two of the same ribbon" which is the proper wear but looks odd.
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1SG (Join to see)
It's pretty rare, and I agree most folks would think wearing 2 AAMs was wrong, or start screaming stolen valor if they saw you wearing them correctly. Recall an NCO with the AAM w/1SOLC + 4 BOLC at the Dragon Ball (Dining Out) at FLW around 2000. I was talking to my Regimental CSM, CSM Van Patten, and nodded my head towards the Soldier. He already noticed it and said, there's only 2 people in this room that know he should be wearing 2 AAMs, and he's not one of them.
Had a few Soldiers get awarded the Navy Commendation Medal during OIF I, and I had to prepare them to respond to, WTF you wearing even though the white stripes are different.
Had a few Soldiers get awarded the Navy Commendation Medal during OIF I, and I had to prepare them to respond to, WTF you wearing even though the white stripes are different.
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Cpl Christopher Bishop
Who in the hell is bothering an E9 Bout his ribbons, Butterbar O1 Lieutenants?
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Cpl Christopher Bishop
Id stick withe single ribbon with the 1-silver and 4-bronze, and not lose any sleep over it.
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Dude you have a DD-214 why is this even a question, wear whatever you earned with pride, no one can stop you, If you earned it, and have the certificate wear it with pride regardless if it is on your 214 or SRB. It's the certificate that is the really important document.
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SP5 Peter Keane
What the Major said. Unless you walk into a meeting with an MOH around your neck, I doubt anyone is gonna ask to see documentation.
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I believe you are authorized to wear all ribbons annotated on in your SRB as the DD-214 only contains awards received during that time of active duty. In other words if a soldier is in the Guards or Reserves and unless they were called to active duty they would not receive a DD-214.
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Submit SF180, or letter, along with supporting documents to request a DD215.
Addresses are included on the SG180.
Addresses are included on the SG180.
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Well, your ERB has information on it that your dd214 is missing. Use your ERB to update your DD214 and then the issue doesn't exist. As for your ribbons, use the ERB until the DD214 is updated.
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I just recently updated my ORB and had to get all original paperwork for my awards and schools and whatnot. Even though the awards were listed on my DD-214. But they wouldn't take that as "proof". So based on that, I'd go by the SRB.
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I gave up on fixing my DD-214 when I was about the retire. Sent it back three times. I had an active duty one from being RA & then when I went into the Guard & deployed to Iraq, they had everything screwed up on my second DD-214. I swear the clerks from the NGB learned how to type in AIT & that was about it. During one re-do of my DD-214, it seems they got me mixed up with somebody else's records. Yes, they can be that incompetent. One of these days I will get around to getting it fixed yet again.
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My generation (RVN) dictated that the awards must be on my DD-214 to wear them. If the awards are not on the DD-214, I have to request that DoD update my records to reflect the awards.
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You will have to get your DD214 corrected to reflect the awards that were not annotated. The DD214 is your military history that holds the most weight because all branches and GS/civil service employee will only utilize the DD214 as the source document. When the awards are on the SRB but not the DD214, it leaves room for suspicious questions. I hope this helps...Good Luck to you...
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