"What medals are generals hiding under their lapels?" Topic

Your average American general has at least 20 medals on his uniform. Half of them are tucked under the fashionably wide lapels when he testifies before Congress. Which are the ones that get routinely hidden away?
Grant never seemed to have had that problem. Obviously he was a lousy officer, seeing how few medals he wore.

I'd have to see photos… 20 medals is a lot. There are many ribbons for which medals are not struck, so I could see 20 ribbons easily, but medals…

On second thought, with the many "opportunities" for wartime recognition within the last 20 years, and the propensity of senior staff to load themselves up; it would not be unheard of.

But to answer your question, since the most "senior" medals are displayed to the right, and worn on the left side of the chest – that would mean the biggest puffed-up awards would be the ones most likely hidden… kinda sweet, isn't it?

5 years long service, 10 years long service, 15 years long service, 20 years long service…

I don't know some of the campaign ribbons and service ribbons take up a lot of space. Add to that Awards for key assignments and 20 plus years and you could have a good many awards. When I retired in 2002 I had three rows of four and four rows of three (24 different awards). I retired with 25 years of service. Most of the Senior FGOs have more then that.

VR
James Mattes

Ill get the hang of this yet!!!

"But to answer your question, since the most "senior" medals are displayed to the right, and worn on the left side of the chest – that would mean the biggest puffed-up awards would be the ones most likely hidden… kinda sweet, isn't it?"

Doesn't a Marine normally describe these as worn inboard to outboard?

But you're right; it's ironic.

For the dedicated ribbon-spotter (pick your service):

link

Allen

national defense and good conduct medals.

There's an exception in AR 670-1 that allows awards and decorations to be offset so they can be seen. Case in point, on my greens, my jumpwings are offset to the left (when worn) so as to not be obscured by the lapel.

James and Jay are both correct.

I find that once you reach the 4th row you start to loose more than half of the ribbon under your lapel, so you offset to your own left. I likewise offset any row that will cause a ribbon to become hidden by my lapel and always do so with my wings.

So to answer the actual question, there is no telling which medal or ribbon is being hidden. It would depend on what you had and if you offset.

"Doesn't a Marine normally describe these as worn inboard to outboard?"

Misconception. While that *could* be used as a rule for wearing ribbons and devices in almost all service uniforms (A, B, C, and Dress Blue B, C, D) it is a bad habit to assume that is the rule. The factor is, "right to left."

If one went from inboard-outboard, when wearing the Dress Blue A, the medals would be correct, but the ribbons for which no medal is struck would be displayed incorrectly, in a reverse order, on the right side of your chest.

So early on, when Marines are young and have not had the opportunity to be mislead by "inboard-outboard," we are drilled repeatedly that it is right to left. Or – "starboard to port!" (lol)

Jay & Col Scott 2, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that offset rule is for ribbons and devices, not decorations in general (which would include medals.)

Mardaddy,
I think you are correct. However actual medals are almost never worn, especially when testifying before Congress. So while the OFM asked about medals, I think he was refering to the entire rack of medals and ribbons worn as ribbons on the class A jacket.

So while the OFM asked about medals, I think he was refering to the entire rack of medals and ribbons worn as ribbons on the class A jacket.

Errr, yes.

Pershing did not have that problem:
picture
picture

I have a couple of old pictures of Pershing at a West Point graduation from the 1920's. Pershing looks to have exactly 1 ribbon. The guys standing around him have 3-5 rows each.

I am not sure about the other services, but I know as a Marine you have the option of not wearing your "full rack" of ribbons at your own discretion.

You can opt to only display your "personal awards," and not display unit or service awards.

Maybe that is what Pershing (per the photo) did.

I'm sure he could pretty much do what he wanted. I think he was one of the few to ever reach the top rank of the US Army.

For a while, I only wore the top 3 awards (row of 3 + one on top looks funny), and never did wear the GWOT Service Medal. After the Navy Achievement medal got added to the list, I need to go back and re-build my ribbon-rack.

IMO, the only decorations that really matter are valor awards, CIB, and Warfare qualifications like dolphins. everything else is just bragging.

I think most slide the medals over or shorten the rows to ensure that they are all visible. But if they are putting some behind the lapel, the ribbons or medals are required to be worn in order of precedence. So if you know the last medal visible beside it and the first on on the next row, then you can narrow it down.

Awards and decorations of the United States military link