Posted on Mar 30, 2014
Why don't more Soldiers wear their full size medals?
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I have attended dozens of Army Balls thoughout the years. And one thing stands out to me. No one wears full size medals. Everyone to incude senior NCOs and officers are content to wear ribbons. You might have one or two people sporting medals, but they usually are very rare. Why is that? <br><br>Every time I see pictures of Marines in their Dress Blues more often then not they are sporting medals. No matter what rank. I have seen E-2s and E-3s sporting medals during their Balls. Are they "required" to have them? Is it something pushed down by their NCOs, that everyone with wear Medals?
Uniforms
Pride
Medals
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 128
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I'm not going to spend three checks for medals when I don't like wearing the dress uniform in the first place.
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I never got mini-medals for my uniform when I was in the Navy (and was never told I needed them). When I was between my "A" School in Orlando and shipping up to Submarine school in Connecticut, I was tasked out to the Base First Lieutenant, which meant I did base Colors, Color Guards, and funeral details. I ALWAYS wore my full-sized medals (had 3 at the time and 2 of them were for marksmanship, lol). When I got married the first time (c'mon, we've all served, we know sometimes that shit just doesn't work out, lol), I wore full-sized medals and ribbons (it's a Navy thing). When I went to the 100th Anniversary Submarine Ball, I wore full-sized medals and ribbons. To me, the Navy Dress Blue Uniform aka "Cracker Jacks" don't look right with mini-medals.
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Most people who told me why they don't wear them say it's because of the hassle of switching back to ribbons (vice versa) according to the purpose for wear of the ASU (i.e. formal events and boards).
Personally, I wear medals at balls and most formals.
Personally, I wear medals at balls and most formals.
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They are too expensive. I like my ribbons anyway. I suppose if I had got them one at a time I would have been fine but it's too late now. And for the Marines, it is required at times. The Army doesn't see it that way. We make it optional.
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Frankly because they cost so much. Ribbons alone start at $3 and can cost as much as $10 if not more. Medals start at about $10 and go up from there.
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I have never bought the bracket to hold them. So I just continue to wear the ribbons instead. They look great but I just prefer not to wear them for reasons.
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Hope you are talking about your service dress and not blues shirt that would be stupid.
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