Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard

Summary

Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard are military medals and ribbons of the United States Coast Guard which are currently issued under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.

Prior to 2002, such awards were issued by the Secretary of Transportation and Coast Guard personnel were eligible to receive a variety of Department of Transportation (DOT) civilian decorations. Since transferring to the Department of Homeland Security, the issuance of DOT awards has been discontinued in the Coast Guard, although such awards may still be seen on active duty Coast Guard uniforms.

Coast Guard military awards are similar to U.S. Navy awards (often with nearly identical ribbons save for an additional white stripe) and Coast Guard personnel are eligible to receive all inter-service awards and decorations, authorized foreign awards and international decorations.

The current active awards and decorations of the U.S. Coast Guard are as follows:[1]

Coast Guard Medals edit

Personal Awards and Decorations edit

Coast Guard Cross Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Medal Coast Guard Commendation Medal Coast Guard Achievement Medal
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Coast Guard Good Conduct and Service Medals edit

Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal Coast Guard Reserve Good Conduct Medal Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal
 
 
 
 
 
 

Coast Guard Lifesaving Medals edit

Gold Lifesaving Medal Silver Lifesaving Medal
 
 
 
 
Note: These are not classified as military decorations, but are awarded by the Commandant of the Coast Guard

Coast Guard Unit Awards edit

Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation DHS Outstanding Unit Award Coast Guard Unit Commendation Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Team Commendation Coast Guard "E" Ribbon
 
 
 
 
 
 

Coast Guard Ribbons edit

Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon Enlisted Person of the Year Ribbon Special Operations Service Ribbon Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon
 
 
 
 
 
Restricted Duty Ribbon Coast Guard Overseas Service Ribbon Coast Guard Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon Coast Guard Recruiting Service Ribbon
 
 
 
 

Coast Guard Marksmanship Awards/Medals edit

Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award/Badge Coast Guard Distinguished Pistol Shot Award/Badge Coast Guard Rifleman Excellence-In-Competition Award/Badge
(Rifleman EIC Badges earned at national matches have the word "NATIONAL" etched at their base.)
Coast Guard Pistol Shot Excellence-In-Competition Award/Badge
(Pistol Shot EIC Badges earned at national matches have the word "NATIONAL" etched at their base.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
President's Hundred Tab
 
Enlisted Only
Coast Guard Expert Rifleman Medal Coast Guard Expert Pistol Shot Medal
 
 
 
 
Coast Guard Rifle Sharpshooter Ribbon Coast Guard Pistol Sharpshooter Ribbon Coast Guard Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon Coast Guard Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon
 
 
 
 

Order of precedence edit

The following is the ribbon order of precedence authorized for wear by the U.S. Coast Guard. The list contains awards and decorations for the departments of Defense (including Army, Navy and Air Force), Homeland Security and Transportation:

Key:
Bold = denotes agency-level (DHS or DOT) award or U.S. Coast Guard award
Bold italic = denotes U.S. Coast Guard award is obsolete
Italic = denotes award is obsolete
  • Personal decorations
Medal of Honor Coast Guard Cross Navy Cross Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Cross Homeland Security
Distinguished Service Medal
Transportation
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense
Distinguished Service Medal
Coast Guard
Distinguished Service Medal
Navy
Distinguished Service Medal
Army
Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star DOT's Secretary
Award for Outstanding Achievement
Defense Superior Service Medal Guardian Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross
Coast Guard Medal Navy and Marine Corps Medal Soldier's Medal Airman's Medal Gold Lifesaving Medal Bronze Star
Purple Heart Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Silver Lifesaving Medal Aerial Achievement Medal
DOT's Secretary
Award for Meritorious Achievement
Joint Service
Commendation Medal
Coast Guard
Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps
Commendation Medal
Army
Commendation Medal
Air Force
Commendation Medal
DOT's Secretary
Award for Superior Achievement
Joint Service
Achievement Medal
Transportation 9-11 Medal Coast Guard
Achievement Medal
Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medal
Army
Achievement Medal
Air Force
Achievement Medal
Commandant's
Letter of Commendation Ribbon
Coast Guard
Combat Action Ribbon
Navy Combat Action Ribbon
(Navy/Marine Corps)
  • Unit decorations
Coast Guard
Presidential Unit Citation
Navy and Marine Corps
Presidential Unit Citation
Army and Air Force
Presidential Unit Citation
Department of Homeland Security
Outstanding Unit Award
Joint Meritorious Unit Award Secretary of Transportation
Outstanding Unit Award
Coast Guard
Unit Commendation
Navy
Unit Commendation
Air Force Gallant Unit Citation Coast Guard
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Air Force
Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Team Commendation Air Force
Outstanding Unit Award
Coast Guard
"E" Ribbon
Navy
"E" Ribbon
Air Force
Organizational Excellence Award
Coast Guard
Bicentennial Unit Commendation
  • Conduct medals
Prisoner of War Medal Coast Guard
Good Conduct Medal
Navy
Good Conduct Medal
Marine Corps
Good Conduct Medal
Army
Good Conduct Medal
Air Force
Good Conduct Medal
Coast Guard Reserve
Good Conduct Medal
Naval Reserve
Meritorious Service Medal
Selected Marine Corps
Reserve Medal
Army Reserve Components
Achievement Medal
Air Reserve Forces
Meritorious Service Medal
  • U.S. service, campaign and training awards
  • Authorized non-U.S. service awards and foreign decorations
  • Marksmanship awards

References edit

  1. ^ "Medals and Awards Manual- COMDTINST M1650.25D" (PDF). United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2013.