Couldn't help but notice that men like Eisenhower typically only wore his Army DSM (with what eventually was 4 oak leaf clusters) and Legion of Merit ribbons. Even for formal photos and portraits. He had 66 service ribbons he was entitled to wear.

Seems like officers today wear everything they've ever earned, including their Perfect Attendance ribbon.



When did this come into fad? And it isn't just for formal photos. I've seen more and more officers wearing everything they've possibly earned in everyday wear.

When we started handing out participation trophies.

Virtue signaling comes in many forms.

Sometimes it's a mask, and sometimes it's the need to show & tell people what you've done.

Men like Eisenhower had honor and reputation. Our current military leaders, however…..

If you read what service persons did to earn service and valor awards in the world wars versus recent conflicts, you would know. They've engaged in a huge devaluation of the significance of some of these citations and awards by pretending doing so enhances morale.

What Ike was lacking in medal wearing was more than made up for by Patton.



That dude wore medals that other countries gave him. (Is that legal?)

https://www.google.com/search?q=patton+full+medals&oq=patton+full+medals&aqs=chrome..69i57.4657j0j4&client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=zpUC9r655OmXMM

How many do you wear?

I think this was more typical:

Clob94 said:

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What Ike was lacking in medal wearing was more than made up for by Patton.



That dude wore medals that other countries gave him. (Is that legal?)

https://www.google.com/search?q=patton+full+medals&oq=patton+full+medals&aqs=chrome..69i57.4657j0j4&client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=zpUC9r655OmXMM

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Good point - but he was the outlier. And yes you can wear medals from other countries, as long as it's approved. They are worn after all US decorations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorized_foreign_decorations_of_the_United_States_military

Very North Korean of us.

The military, until recently, required all or none on medals/ribbons. The policy has since switched back to what it was in Ike's day…"all, SOME, or none"

Ribbons have always been handed out like candy…we can thank Napoleon for that

I prefer the modest / humble approach to merit badge wearing. Pin the ones that really matter, the rest is peacocking.

https://agenerationxersfinalyears.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/less-is-more-when-it-comes-to-uniforms/

Most Decorated Soldier only wore a few:


Compared to this peacock (highest was BSM, no V device; shoot, I have one of those, ma'am)

If he had 66 service ribbons, where would he put them? Even if he put them on both sides, there still wouldn't be room. I think the USAF has around 84 possible medals/ribbons but to obtain that many you would have to have been a participant in every conflict that existed from WWII until present time which encompasses 80 years of service ( so who was handing out participation trophies like they are candy?) I was in involved in almost every conflict from the Iran/Iraq (late 80's) war/Cold war through OEF/OIF and ended up with 23 medals/ribbons and umpteen hundred combat flight hours. There was barely enough room on the left side of my chest to accommodate those and my wings but you wear them because you earned them ( do you know how much easier it is to just line up two or three ribbons? More than one row is no picnic). When wearing Mess Dress only actual medals are allowed and still I looked like a mid-East dictator (even minus the "you lasted 4 years without being a total F-up" and "wow you made it through basic training" or "congrats you endured 3 or 4 years of service" ribbons). It is looked at as a visual resume of your experience (not to mention it was policy to wear all or none and Officers usually only wear them on their dress jacket). Dwight was a 5 star and commanded US Forces in WWII, I think everyone understood his resume. Oh, and by the way, he went from a one star to a five star in 3 years (speaking of just giving things away) These posts sound like ribbon envy to me. All joking aside, he obviously earned what he got and was humble in his display but you can scrutinize and poke fun at the guy on the right just as easily as the guy on the left depending on context and point of view.

AggieFlyboy said:

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The military, until recently, required all or none on medals/ribbons. The policy has since switched back to what it was in Ike's day…"all, SOME, or none"

Ribbons have always been handed out like candy…we can thank Napoleon for that

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It was that way when I was in (70-91). And they damned sure better be in order! In 1983 I nominated my top NCO for a NCO of the Year Award for Air Weather Service. He was a finalist, and I was told would have won, but some nitpicker at HQ AWS spotted the one out of place ribbon. I'm still pissed off about that.

So has part of the military been backing the communist agenda just to get more flair?

And this badge is for Operation Clean Eating!

MacArthur went to a meeting with FDR and Ike was there. MacArthur wore every single medal he had ever been awarded, and then saw Ike with his plain jacket. That was when MacArthur switched to the plain soft-washed khakis that he is now associated with.

Prior service Army here. Technically for your OER photo you should wear all of the ribbons that you're authorized as they're likely listed on your OER.

I'm also of the school of thought that you should wear what you're authorized. If you earned it, wear it.

People basically get Purple Hearts for tripping over rocks in foreign countries now. The value of most of those ribbons is worthless and the people outside of the military don't know what the **** they mean

Not Coach Jimbo said:

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So has part of the military been backing the communist agenda just to get more flair?

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What kind of tour of duty do you have to do for those below the belt medals?

That's the One Long Wang award.

Thought there was a uniform variant where you only wear 3 ribbons.

Like this guy with the saber?


Come on now.



Are they in Chile doing this?

Ollie North?

supradave94 said:

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That's the One Long Wang award.

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I thought it was the Hung Dong badge.

Clob94 said:

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What Ike was lacking in medal wearing was more than made up for by Patton.



That dude wore medals that other countries gave him. (Is that legal?)

https://www.google.com/search?q=patton+full+medals&oq=patton+full+medals&aqs=chrome..69i57.4657j0j4&client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=zpUC9r655OmXMM

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Yes, its actually pretty common

Like bells on a cat, Kim wanted to hear them walking around.

TxTarpon said:

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Like this guy with the saber?


Come on now.

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What's the problem? He's got 6 of 9 (or 10, can't remember the max in the Corps) and he's in Winter-A's (full medals not ribbons)

13B said:

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If he had 66 service ribbons, where would he put them? Even if he put them on both sides, there still wouldn't be room. I think the USAF has around 84 possible medals/ribbons but to obtain that many you would have to have been a participant in every conflict that existed from WWII until present time which encompasses 80 years of service ( so who was handing out participation trophies like they are candy?) I was in involved in almost every conflict from the Iran/Iraq (late 80's) war/Cold war through OEF/OIF and ended up with 23 medals/ribbons and umpteen hundred combat flight hours. There was barely enough room on the left side of my chest to accommodate those and my wings but you wear them because you earned them ( do you know how much easier it is to just line up two or three ribbons? More than one row is no picnic). When wearing Mess Dress only actual medals are allowed and still I looked like a mid-East dictator (even minus the "you lasted 4 years without being a total F-up" and "wow you made it through basic training" or "congrats you endured 3 or 4 years of service" ribbons). It is looked at as a visual resume of your experience (not to mention it was policy to wear all or none and Officers usually only wear them on their dress jacket). Dwight was a 5 star and commanded US Forces in WWII, I think everyone understood his resume. Oh, and by the way, he went from a one star to a five star in 3 years (speaking of just giving things away) These posts sound like ribbon envy to me. All joking aside, he obviously earned what he got and was humble in his display but you can scrutinize and poke fun at the guy on the right just as easily as the guy on the left depending on context and point of view.

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Thanks for your service and thanks for a few chuckles. I did not realize there was an "all or none" policy for a period of time.

I don't have any problem with people wearing everything they have earned. The military isn't a place where you get rich, and the risks can be quite high - your decorations are one way you are rewarded for doing a good job. I wouldn't begrudge somebody the occasional opportunity to show off a little. Most of the time you aren't even wearing them anyway.

Worth asking again.

Quote:

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How many do you wear?

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Not Coach Jimbo said:

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So has part of the military been backing the communist agenda just to get more flair?

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Those guys are starting to look like these guys:

Do you really think Petraeus spent the time to pin and align all those medals himself?