Posted on Feb 20, 2018
What is everyone's thought on wearing service ribbons in rows of 4 rather than the usual rows of 3?
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DA PAM 670-1 is the Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and paragraph 20–6.a.(2) states that "The determination of whether three or four ribbons are worn in each row is based upon the size of the coat and the position of the lapel." That said, the only photos I can find of people switching from the standard 3-across rack to the "grande" version are General Officers, Command Sergeants Major, and other ultra-senior service members.
I've been considering going big for a while to help with my OCD regarding alignment (4 across is a nearly identical width to the pocket), and now with the addition of 2 more hero medals, I'm starting think that it makes sense to go wide before I end up with a CIB on my shoulder!
Curious to get the group's throughs. Is 4-across something that people have seen in the real (non-Pentagon) world? Does it give off an air of pretentiousness or elitism that one may want to avoid? Does it risk giving some CSM a turrets tick because one of these things is not like the other? Or is it something that literally nobody has ever or will ever put this much thought into again.
I say again... OCD.
Thanks for the insight!
I've been considering going big for a while to help with my OCD regarding alignment (4 across is a nearly identical width to the pocket), and now with the addition of 2 more hero medals, I'm starting think that it makes sense to go wide before I end up with a CIB on my shoulder!
Curious to get the group's throughs. Is 4-across something that people have seen in the real (non-Pentagon) world? Does it give off an air of pretentiousness or elitism that one may want to avoid? Does it risk giving some CSM a turrets tick because one of these things is not like the other? Or is it something that literally nobody has ever or will ever put this much thought into again.
I say again... OCD.
Thanks for the insight!
Ribbons
Awards
Medals
Dress Uniform
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 39
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I think you are on the right track. If the 4-wise rack is the same width as your pocket, then go with that.
To me, it depends on your size and build. If you’re small like me, the 3-wide rack is called for. If your broader-chested, I think the 3-wide mount would look...off. Therefore, go with the 4-row.
I interpreted the option as being the same concept as the approximations on the female uniform. It’s meant to accommodate for different sizes.
To me, it depends on your size and build. If you’re small like me, the 3-wide rack is called for. If your broader-chested, I think the 3-wide mount would look...off. Therefore, go with the 4-row.
I interpreted the option as being the same concept as the approximations on the female uniform. It’s meant to accommodate for different sizes.
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SFC (Join to see)
Additionally, you could start alligning your ribbons and badges to the right of the pocket. It will get your wings and CIB out from under your lapel a bit more.
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CPT (Join to see)
That's the best part of this config in my opinion: I no longer feel bad about left-aligning everything. That'll bring the chesticles all the way to the pocket edge with the ribbons, mostly out from under the lapel. Tired of just showing off the B in that CIB!
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Have to agree with most on here. I'm 5'5" tall and if I went for the 4 across, I'd lose everything above the second row to my lapel. It's no secret that the majority of senior officers and NCO's are well above average height. The majority of them have a mass of awards and ribbons. It makes sense if you are 6'95" to have a 4 across rack, so your awards don't go over your shoulder.
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Once your ribbon rack starts pushing badges or awards under your shoulder epaulettes, it's time to move to rows of 4...
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Hi think the vagueness serves a purpose. When you are a less experienced soldier you rock 3 across to fill the space. As you earn awards as a senior Service member you switch to 4 to avoid being a North Korean general
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I like the four across CPT (Join to see). And I noticed you got tired of pounding the ground so now you pound the ground from the air! I like it. I flew gunner in Vietnam when I could.
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CPT (Join to see)
In the Army, there's Infantry, and there's Infantry support. If you're going to be the latter, might as well be the ones with the nicest hair and the coolest rides!
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MSG Michael Caldwell
Do all of have that many ribbons that you have to go to four ribbons or is this a chest pounding contest. Follow your unit SOPs is my best bet
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When you wear your ribbons you are given the discretion of three or four per row to allow you to choose the display that more appropriately displays your awards. The pretentious selection would be to choose three per row so that you get the senior officer look of ribbons almost going over the shoulder to your back. Going four to a row to keep the rack lower, as long as all the ribbons are visible, is more conservative and looks better in my personal opinion.
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I agree with most of the comments have read.
4 wide for larger framed males
4 wide as long as it does not go past the seem of the left breast pocket on either side
4 wide if you have a tall ribbon rack
4 wide if all of the above are true and you have skills badges
3 wide if none of the above are true and your skills badges are not too high on the left breast.
Above all, make it compliment your achievements without detracting from the uniform and the professional appearance you need.
4 wide for larger framed males
4 wide as long as it does not go past the seem of the left breast pocket on either side
4 wide if you have a tall ribbon rack
4 wide if all of the above are true and you have skills badges
3 wide if none of the above are true and your skills badges are not too high on the left breast.
Above all, make it compliment your achievements without detracting from the uniform and the professional appearance you need.
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Strictly it is how it looks on one's uniform and if they have enough to do so. I know as I have x2 ASU jackets (8 pair of trousers - long story of expansion and downsizing) for my DA photos, one where I was a lil younger and cannot sit down in the jacket, the other where I can do PT in it. Each has a different lapel shape to it and each giving me more or less a challenge as to what looks right on the uniform. Last DA Photo was three across the bottom, however the photo for CW5 PSB was x2 rows of 4 on the bottom. Frankly the 4 across isn't the most friendly if you had to fold your arms forward, but standing up straight works fine. Truthfully, neither looks any better or worse, but it is how they are affected on the uniform, (more than 50% of a ribbon hidden by lapel), just my old man .02
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CPT (Join to see). I like the 4 wide row since it keeps the stack lower and doesn't hide the top rows and badges under the flap of the collar as much. Of course that depends on the number you have, but I have the same OCD thing that drives me crazy.
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The reason most people go to four-across is because they have so many that it is as you say: it's either that or wear your CIB on your shoulder. I'm my humble opinion, wearing four across with only two or three rows looks kinda silly. But that's just my opinion.
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I wore my medals four across when I only had four medals; it looked better than wearing them with the lone medal on the second row. After I earned a few more, I wore my medals in rows of three. It really depends on personal preference and if you have the chest for it (if your chest is wide enough and has pockets wide enough to not look like an idiot with a wide rack). I would just say that you should use your best judgment; if someone thinks that you look like an idiot they will more than likely tell you.
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Once I got to 13 ribbons, I started aligning left and going four across. It minimizes covering things up under the lapel, and frankly looks better. This is less important for normal wear, but matters quite a bit for a DA photo, since you want the Promotion Board to see your accomplishments.
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CPT (Join to see)
13 is the number that triggered this conversation! I tend to agree that 4 across actually helps UNhide things, especially when you taper up 4-4-3-3-2...
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I thought the four across looked better and I hate the idea of fluffing up my awards. The four also just matches the pocket really well and makes aligning a badge very easy and if the badge is tall the lesser height of the rack means you will have to justify less and if you to justify, the badges(s) will be all the more visible.
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SFC (Join to see)
...but yes's I wore 3 across with the spaces because of potential CSM "tick". Didn't want to be that tall Blade of grass.
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I think most folks should stick with the 3-across rows. If your chest measurement is large enough that the right-most ribbons on the 4-across aren't obscured by the lapel, then go for it if you want. Another reason would be a military member who had so many rows of ribbons that they pushed qualification badges actually up to the shoulder seam of the uniform jacket or under the shoulder loop on shirts, or Air Force or Marine class A uniforms.
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It’s all about presentation. As some other members already stated, going to rows of four makes a great deal of sense when the change reduces clutter on the uniform and creates a neater appearance. Once we start approaching a rack of 20 - 24 ribbons, the CIB/CAB/EIB/EFMB etc...end up just below the shoulder boards and we end up looking like a South American dictator. Ultimately, it’s the wearer’s call, but I think it serves a purpose.
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I'm a rather large individual, in my younger years I sported a 52" chest. Being, at that time, a high speed NCO who was a winner of several NCO boards I knew the refs concerning the wear of 3 or 4 ribbons across, so for one board a was preparing and had my jacket hung up when my PSG came in the room to check on me. I thought he was going to shit himself into a coronary when he saw I had a 4 wide double stack.
But I've also mostly seen GO's and senior E-9's that wear the 4 across, I feel it depends on the size of the uniform jacket, and placement, for females.
But units have their own SOP's when it comes to this as well I've found on a couple occasions.
But I've also mostly seen GO's and senior E-9's that wear the 4 across, I feel it depends on the size of the uniform jacket, and placement, for females.
But units have their own SOP's when it comes to this as well I've found on a couple occasions.
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I've never been a fan of the 4-stack. It looks messy to me having uneven rows that are off centered like in that example photo. 3 until you have less looks cleaner and my preferred look.
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This is interesting, I’ve never considered the rows of four until you mentioned it. I’ll have to find a rack and see what it looks like. One of the things I like about the row of four is the uniformity above the pocket it provides, removing that weird gap on each side of the pocket seam.
Now if they could only fix the cheap quality of the uniform. The pocket on mine becomes angled towards the edge making the whole rack look tilted.
Now if they could only fix the cheap quality of the uniform. The pocket on mine becomes angled towards the edge making the whole rack look tilted.
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CPT (Join to see)
I’ve got the same funky pocket stitching. Actually use the pins on the rack to force-align the pocket a bit. Doesn’t matter though, we’ll all be forced to buy new uniforms again soon enough
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MSgt Gerald Orvis
Used to have the same problem in the Marine Corps, with the top of the pocket flap slightly curved. Of course, that necessitated a trip to the tailor to get it straightened, otherwise one couldn't align one's shooting badges properly at 1/8" above the pocket flap edge, and the lower edge of the ribbons 1/8" above that.
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