1. Skip to navigation
  2. Skip to content
  3. Skip to sidebar

Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal

In 1943, the Navy and Coast Guard offered the first Commendation Medals. These medals of America were at first only available as Navy and Coast Guard ribbons. By 1960, the Coast Guard had its own branch specific version of these military medals and ribbons, and the Navy ribbons were joined by matching Navy Commendation Medals. However, the Marine Corps shared the Navy version of these US military medals and ribbons without name recognition until these awards were renamed the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 1994.

These Navy medals are a mid-level awards presented to service persons for acts of heroism and meritorious service. If the valorous action that earns the Navy Commendation Medal is performed in direct contact with an enemy force, the Valor Device “V” may be worn on the decoration. The actions for which these military ribbons are awarded are considered to be of a lesser degree than those required to win the Bonze Star. The Navy Commendation Medal is worn below the Silver Life Saving Medal and the Joint Service Commendation Medal, but above the Joint Services Achievement Medal in the general order of precedence that has been established for the display of all military insignia. The Navy and Marine Corps denote additional awards of these military medals and ribbons with silver and gold Award Stars.

The Navy Commendation Medal is generally available as full size military medals, military mini medals, military ribbons, and lapel pins. They are available for traditionalists as slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, and slide-on military ribbons. Nowadays however, more and more military service personnel are realizing the value to their career goals of always having their uniform decorations looking their best, and have turned to the slimmer and trimmer thin military medals and mini medals and the ultra thin military ribbons to provide them with the smartest looking military award displays possible.