Posted on Jul 17, 2016
What qualifications are needed to be awarded the Overseas Service Ribbon?
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Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 122
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Since my Marine Corps doesn't have that ribbon or medal, I have no frame of reference, but logic tells me that must have been overseas!
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PO2 Mark Lewandoske
The Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon was first proposed in 1968, but not officially approved until June of 1987. The decoration is awarded to any member of the Navy or Marine Corps who completes one year of consecutive or cumulative duty at a permanent overseas duty station.
CRITERIA:
(1) General. Awarded to officers and enlisted personnel of the United States Navy, United States Naval Reserve, United States Marine Corps and United States Marine Corps Reserve. Each service has distinct criteria that delineates eligibility; Navy personnel assigned to Marine Corps units follow Marine Corps policy, and vice versa.
(2) Specific
(a) Active Duty Personnel: 12-months consecutive or accumulated duty at overseas shore base duty station.
(b) Inactive Reservists: 30 consecutive days or 45 cumulative days of active duty for training, annual training (AT), or TAD at overseas duty stations, including deployed units and units homeported overseas. Travel time and weekend training does not count.
Note: For overseas domiciled Inactive Reservists, 30 consecutive days of AT or IDT must be completed, or a combination of 45 cumulative days of AT or IDT in a billet with an established Overseas Naval Reserve Unit or as a member of the Overseas Peacetime (Contributory) Support Program (for accounting purposes, two IDT periods equal 1 day of AT).
(c) Overseas is defined as duty outside the United States (Mainland Alaska and Hawaii are not eligible duty stations) at shore base commands. Service in Adak, Alaska does qualify. For active duty personnel, duty on board CONUS-based, deploying ships, squadrons, units or with the FMF does not qualify.
CRITERIA:
(1) General. Awarded to officers and enlisted personnel of the United States Navy, United States Naval Reserve, United States Marine Corps and United States Marine Corps Reserve. Each service has distinct criteria that delineates eligibility; Navy personnel assigned to Marine Corps units follow Marine Corps policy, and vice versa.
(2) Specific
(a) Active Duty Personnel: 12-months consecutive or accumulated duty at overseas shore base duty station.
(b) Inactive Reservists: 30 consecutive days or 45 cumulative days of active duty for training, annual training (AT), or TAD at overseas duty stations, including deployed units and units homeported overseas. Travel time and weekend training does not count.
Note: For overseas domiciled Inactive Reservists, 30 consecutive days of AT or IDT must be completed, or a combination of 45 cumulative days of AT or IDT in a billet with an established Overseas Naval Reserve Unit or as a member of the Overseas Peacetime (Contributory) Support Program (for accounting purposes, two IDT periods equal 1 day of AT).
(c) Overseas is defined as duty outside the United States (Mainland Alaska and Hawaii are not eligible duty stations) at shore base commands. Service in Adak, Alaska does qualify. For active duty personnel, duty on board CONUS-based, deploying ships, squadrons, units or with the FMF does not qualify.
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PO2 Mark Lewandoske
The Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon was first proposed in 1968, but not officially approved until June of 1987. The decoration is awarded to any member of the Navy or Marine Corps who completes one year of consecutive or cumulative duty at a permanent overseas duty station.
CRITERIA:
(1) General. Awarded to officers and enlisted personnel of the United States Navy, United States Naval Reserve, United States Marine Corps and United States Marine Corps Reserve. Each service has distinct criteria that delineates eligibility; Navy personnel assigned to Marine Corps units follow Marine Corps policy, and vice versa.
(2) Specific
(a) Active Duty Personnel: 12-months consecutive or accumulated duty at overseas shore base duty station.
(b) Inactive Reservists: 30 consecutive days or 45 cumulative days of active duty for training, annual training (AT), or TAD at overseas duty stations, including deployed units and units homeported overseas. Travel time and weekend training does not count.
Note: For overseas domiciled Inactive Reservists, 30 consecutive days of AT or IDT must be completed, or a combination of 45 cumulative days of AT or IDT in a billet with an established Overseas Naval Reserve Unit or as a member of the Overseas Peacetime (Contributory) Support Program (for accounting purposes, two IDT periods equal 1 day of AT).
(c) Overseas is defined as duty outside the United States (Mainland Alaska and Hawaii are not eligible duty stations) at shore base commands. Service in Adak, Alaska does qualify. For active duty personnel, duty on board CONUS-based, deploying ships, squadrons, units or with the FMF does not qualify.
CRITERIA:
(1) General. Awarded to officers and enlisted personnel of the United States Navy, United States Naval Reserve, United States Marine Corps and United States Marine Corps Reserve. Each service has distinct criteria that delineates eligibility; Navy personnel assigned to Marine Corps units follow Marine Corps policy, and vice versa.
(2) Specific
(a) Active Duty Personnel: 12-months consecutive or accumulated duty at overseas shore base duty station.
(b) Inactive Reservists: 30 consecutive days or 45 cumulative days of active duty for training, annual training (AT), or TAD at overseas duty stations, including deployed units and units homeported overseas. Travel time and weekend training does not count.
Note: For overseas domiciled Inactive Reservists, 30 consecutive days of AT or IDT must be completed, or a combination of 45 cumulative days of AT or IDT in a billet with an established Overseas Naval Reserve Unit or as a member of the Overseas Peacetime (Contributory) Support Program (for accounting purposes, two IDT periods equal 1 day of AT).
(c) Overseas is defined as duty outside the United States (Mainland Alaska and Hawaii are not eligible duty stations) at shore base commands. Service in Adak, Alaska does qualify. For active duty personnel, duty on board CONUS-based, deploying ships, squadrons, units or with the FMF does not qualify.
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LtCol J W
Just another feel good piece of cloth to pin on to fool the civilians. The only ribbons that look good on a uniform are those with battle stars, example, my Korean service medal with 3 star and Vietnam service medal with 2 stars. That what ribbons ought to stand for, i.e., you were there when the shooting was happening. If add a Purple Heart, then you really were there!
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Here's where I'm wrong because I thought you were awarded the ribbon once you deployed or were stationed overseas (i.e. Europe, Japan, Korea)
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COL (Join to see)
The 9 month consec / 11 month non-consecutive TCS rule applies to all environments where a normal tour length is not defined. You must meet these lengths of service to get a short tour credit and the ribbon. There is a table in the regsame that covers other areas such as Korea, Germany, etc.
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SFC Steve Renner
deployments that are covered under another ribbon do not count toward time for an OSR...AR 672-5-1 section 4-35
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SFC Steve Renner
guess i am more old school than i thought...next time i'll research a little better or stay out of it
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My unit is trying to say that soldiers here in Kuwait are not authorized the Overseas Service Ribbon.
From what I can tell, From AR 600-8-22 Section 5-4 " Soldiers must be credited with a normal overseas tour completion according to AR 614-30."
Looking into 614-30 I'm assuming they are referencing Table 3-2 that talks about Award of tour credit and DEROS.
So you have to meet one of the criteria in that table to be eligible for the overseas ribbon?
From what I can tell, From AR 600-8-22 Section 5-4 " Soldiers must be credited with a normal overseas tour completion according to AR 614-30."
Looking into 614-30 I'm assuming they are referencing Table 3-2 that talks about Award of tour credit and DEROS.
So you have to meet one of the criteria in that table to be eligible for the overseas ribbon?
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SSG (Join to see)
SPC Marcus DeMatos - that is an absolute negative. Alaska is OCONUS and DOES qualify you for the OSR.
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SSG (Join to see)
SPC Marcus DeMatos - Alaska is an OCONUS duty station. Outside the CONtinental United States.
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SFC (Join to see)
SPC Marcus DeMatos - That's not correct bro. It is not attached to the CONUS states making it an OCONUS duty assignment. I just left Hawaii and the same applies there.
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AR 600-8-22
5–4. Overseas Service Ribbon
a. The Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR) was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981 as
announced in Department of the Army General Order 15, 10 October 1990. It is awarded to members of the U.S. Army
for successful completion of overseas tours.
b. Effective 1 August 1981, all members of the active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve in an active
Reserve status are eligible for this award. The ribbon may be awarded retroactively to those personnel who were
credited with a normal overseas tour completion before 1 August 1981 provided they had an active Army status as
defined above on or after 1 August 1981.
c. Soldiers must be credited with a normal overseas tour completion according to AR 614–30. Service members who
64 AR 600–8–22 • 11 December 2006
have overseas service with another branch of service (USN, USAF, or USMC) must be credited with a normal overseas
tour completion by that service to qualify for award of the Army OSR.
d. Numerals will be used to denote second and subsequent awards of the OSR. (See para 6–4.)
e. Posthumous award of the OSR. For first award of the OSR only, an individual may be posthumously awarded (on
or after 1 August 1981) the OSR before completion of the overseas tour, provided the Soldier’s death is ruled "Line of
duty-Yes."
5–4. Overseas Service Ribbon
a. The Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR) was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981 as
announced in Department of the Army General Order 15, 10 October 1990. It is awarded to members of the U.S. Army
for successful completion of overseas tours.
b. Effective 1 August 1981, all members of the active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve in an active
Reserve status are eligible for this award. The ribbon may be awarded retroactively to those personnel who were
credited with a normal overseas tour completion before 1 August 1981 provided they had an active Army status as
defined above on or after 1 August 1981.
c. Soldiers must be credited with a normal overseas tour completion according to AR 614–30. Service members who
64 AR 600–8–22 • 11 December 2006
have overseas service with another branch of service (USN, USAF, or USMC) must be credited with a normal overseas
tour completion by that service to qualify for award of the Army OSR.
d. Numerals will be used to denote second and subsequent awards of the OSR. (See para 6–4.)
e. Posthumous award of the OSR. For first award of the OSR only, an individual may be posthumously awarded (on
or after 1 August 1981) the OSR before completion of the overseas tour, provided the Soldier’s death is ruled "Line of
duty-Yes."
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SP5 Joel O'Brien
This would be nice for folks who served before the date of creation but I suppose it would be too costly to consider giving out that many awards.
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After reading though many of the comments, i wonder, if understanding is this complex for those who receive the award(s), is it reasonable to believe that a civilian understands the meaning or representation for "any" ribbon. More likely that a civilian sees ribbons as an indicator of someone who has done a "lot" for the military or while in the military.
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Overseas medal is awarded to you when you compete your overseas duty it will put in your 201 Files
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SPC Miguel Rosario Cruz
Deployments do not count to be awarded the OSR you need pcs orders to a overseas post and stay until news pcs orders
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SFC Jonathan Surprise
SGT(P) (Join to see) - I was PCS'ed to Kuwait (unaccompanied short tour) and I was authorized to add a numeral to my ribbon. If you were on TDY orders, it will depend on the nature of the tour.
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I received the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/1Star. I was overseas for 2 years and 4 months.
It is my understanding it takes 11 months to earn one.
M. Morris RVT
It is my understanding it takes 11 months to earn one.
M. Morris RVT
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What I don't understand is.... Why are people posting questions to stuff which is completely spelled out in the regulation? Go to Army Publishing Directorate. Educate yourself. Don't just assume someone is giving you a correct answer. Know the answer for yourself.
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