| Marksmanship Ribbon | |
|---|---|
 U.S. Marksmanship Ribbons | |
| Type | Ribbon |
| Awarded for | Marksmanship |
| Presented by | Department of the Navy,Department of the Air Force, andUnited States Coast Guard |
| Eligibility | All ranks |
| Status | Current |
Amarksmanship ribbon is aUnited States Navy,Air Force,Space Force, andCoast Guard award that is issued to its members who pass a weapons qualification course and achieve an above-average score. Additionally, there are selectstate National Guard organizations that award marksmanship ribbons for high placement in state-level marksmanship competitions.
The U.S. Navy has issued these two marksmanship awards since 1920: theNavy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon which is currently awarded for qualification on the BerettaM9 9mm pistol, and theNavy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon which is currently awarded for qualification on theM4 variant.[1]
The Navy issues the marksmanship ribbon in three levels of precedence: Expert, Sharpshooter, andMarksman. The basic ribbon is awarded for the Marksman level while the specificribbon device is awarded for qualification as a Sharpshooter or Expert. Those receiving an Expert qualification receive theMarksmanship Medal and Marksmanship Ribbon.[1]
The Navy issued theDistinguished Marksman and Pistol Ribbon between 1942 and 1951 to recognize those who had earned a Distinguished Marksman or Pistol Shot Badge.[2]
In 1952 theSecretary of the Navy ordered that the ribbon be divided into two new awards: theDistinguished Marksman Ribbon, to denote distinguished marksmanship with a rifle, and theDistinguished Pistol Shot Ribbon, to denote distinguished marksmanship with a pistol.[citation needed]
The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force awards a single ribbon, known as theSmall Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, for an expert qualification on either the M16 rifle, M4 carbine or the M9 or M17/18 pistol. The ribbon is issued in only one degree; however, a3⁄16 inch bronze star may be worn on the ribbon for those who have qualified expert on both the service rifle and pistol.[3] The ribbon was authorized by the Secretary of the Air Force on Aug. 28, 1962, and was awarded to all Air Force and Space Force members who qualified after Jan. 1, 1963. Prior to the conception of a ribbon, Air Force members were awarded with the United States Air Force Small Arms Marksmanship Certificate of Achievement (AF Form 1193 Jan 1961).
The U.S. Coast Guard Marksmanship Ribbons are issued under the same criteria as the U.S. Navy, but Coast Guardsmen use a .40 calSIG SauerP229R DAK pistol instead of the Navy's M9 pistol. The Coast Guard issues two ribbons, known as theCoast Guard Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon and theCoast Guard Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon. Theribbon device is awarded for qualification at the higher levels of sharpshooter and expert. Like the Navy, for those who receive an expert qualification, theMarksmanship Medal is awarded instead of the Marksmanship Ribbon.[4]
Once a year, thousands of U.S. Army andAir National Guard shooters (champion marksmanship teams from each state) compete against each other at theWinston P. Wilson Rifle and Pistol Championships. In theMissouri National Guard, the top twelve guardsmen selected to represent their state at the Winston P. Wilson matches are awarded theGovernor's Twelve Ribbon which is worn on dress uniforms; any guardsman who earns the award more than once wearHawthorn Cluster device(s) on top of the ribbon. In addition, these guardsman are awarded theGovernor's Twelve Tab for wear on the combat uniform.[5][6]
Similarly, theAdjutant General of Missouri awards the Adjutant General's Twenty Ribbon to soldiers and airmen who qualify among the top twenty competitors at the Missouri State Combat Matches conducted each year; specifically the top eight combat rifle shooters, the top eight pistol shooters, the top two light machine gun teams, and the top two scout/sniper teams. In addition to this ribbon, these guardsman are also awarded theAdjutant General's Twenty Combat Badge for wear on the combat uniform.[5]
Guardsmen are authorized to wear these ribbons as a permanent decoration on service dress uniforms, to the left of federal awards, when operating underTitle 32 (state control) status. When federalized (Title 10), guardsman cannot wear these ribbons until they return to Title 32 status.[5][7]
TheU.S. Army andU.S. Marine Corps provideweapons qualification badges instead of a marksmanship ribbon. For the services that award the marksmanship ribbon, re-qualification is not necessary once a service member has obtained the award, and the ribbon may be worn throughout an individual's career. In the Navy and Coast Guard, the marksmanship ribbon may be upgraded with a specific ribbon device if a higher qualification is achieved.[7][8]
| Decorations | |
|---|---|
| Unit awards | |
| Service medals | |
| Service ribbons | |
| Personal decorations | |
|---|---|
| Unit awards | |
| Good Conduct medals | |
| Expeditionary medals | |
| Service ribbon awards |
|
| Marksmanship | |
