# Chest full of service ribbons/decorations: how closely are they "read?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 22, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884 "2017-07-22T16:13:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/61 "2017-09-07T16:48:26Z")
Bumped. In my recent reading on the 1982 Falklands War, it was mentioned that Royal Navy officers usually wear only their top two or three ribbons (British modesty and discretion, donchaknow), and that they’re often amused to see U.S. officers just dripping with medals, like this guy: [http://media.washtimes.com.s3.amazonaws.com/media/image/2016/07/14/7\_142016\_2016--7-14-15-41-478201.jpg](http://media.washtimes.com.s3.amazonaws.com/media/image/2016/07/14/7_142016_2016--7-14-15-41-478201.jpg) Of course, if you run out of room on your tunic, there’s always your pants for the overflow: [https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/34/bd/e134bd9bf2b97e21d104c92d48814321.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/34/bd/e134bd9bf2b97e21d104c92d48814321.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/62 "2017-09-07T16:50:51Z")
Huh, I didn’t know any militaries still used scale mail armor. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/63 "2017-09-07T16:59:58Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Of course, if you run out of room on your tunic, there’s always your pants for the overflow: [https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/34/bd/e134bd9bf2b97e21d104c92d48814321.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/34/bd/e134bd9bf2b97e21d104c92d48814321.jpg) Pfft. I knew a soldier who had medals all the way down to the break in his trousers. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/64 "2017-09-07T17:31:25Z")
As a point of reference, [this](http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Ehud_Barak_military.jpg)is the most highly decorated soldier in Israeli military history. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/65 "2017-09-07T19:30:52Z")
Looks like ol’ Ehud won 120 of something. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/66 "2017-09-07T19:46:48Z")
Does his relatively bare medal-area mean that, like the British, the Israelis only display the highest medals won, or that Israel awards many fewer medals? Either way, that one with the three Xs on it must be a pretty high one, since it’s at the top of his display (Medal of Honor equivalent?), but he has four of them. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/67 "2017-09-07T20:26:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does his relatively bare medal-area mean that, like the British, the Israelis only display the highest medals won, or that Israel awards many fewer medals? > > Either way, that one with the three Xs on it must be a pretty high one, since it’s at the top of his display (Medal of Honor equivalent?), but he has four of them. According to [Wikipedia’s biography of the man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehud_Barak#Military_service), that would be four instances of the Chief of Staff’s Citation. Each ribbon is one citation; the citation itself has the three sword-and-olive-branch devices. The blue ribbon nestled among the citation ribbons would be the [Medal of Distinguished Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Distinguished_Service). Which, for how mundane the title seems, is in fact a valor decoration. (The name brings to mind various US Distinguished Service Medals (of the different armed forces), which are service decorations, not a valor ones. And in fact, are typically “general officer going-away present” kinds of decoration.) ETA: The [IDF’s entire decoration system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_military_decorations) seems refreshingly simple for a US veteran like me. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/68 "2017-09-07T20:52:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does his relatively bare medal-area mean that, like the British, the Israelis only display the highest medals won, or that Israel awards many fewer medals? The latter, mostly. The philosophy behind it is that you give soldiers medals for greatly exceeding expectations, and the army expects a lot. You don’t give someone a prize just for doing their job. > [@Chronos](#): > > Either way, that one with the three Xs on it must be a pretty high one, since it’s at the top of his display (Medal of Honor equivalent?), but he has four of them. As **gnoitall** said, they’re Chief of Staff citation. The Chief of Staff is the only Lieutenant General in the IDF; that’s highest of the three general officer ranks, hence the three X’s. Also, I don’t think there’s any official order in which they have to be displayed. He probably put it in the middle because it looked better there. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/69 "2017-09-08T01:48:16Z")
One of my bosses was a WWII vet who stayed in the reserves with his unit and had a complete set of ribbons for his uniform. Then he got appointed Col-in-Chief of another regiment and needed a second uniform for that unit. He decided to get a complete set of ribbons for that uniform, so he had both uniforms ready to go at a moment’s notice. It drive his aide crazy trying to get a complete second set, since most dated to his WWII service and weren’t being made anymore… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/70 "2017-09-10T02:19:43Z")
Some cartoons on the subject: [http://imgc.artprintimages.com/img/print/print/joe-dator-anytime-i-ve-ever-been-asked-what-do-you-want-a-medal-i-ve-said-yes-new-yorker-cartoon\_a-l-14674566-8419449.jpg?w=550&h=550](http://imgc.artprintimages.com/img/print/print/joe-dator-anytime-i-ve-ever-been-asked-what-do-you-want-a-medal-i-ve-said-yes-new-yorker-cartoon_a-l-14674566-8419449.jpg?w=550&h=550) > **[New Yorker Cartoon: What The General's Medals Really Mean](http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/08/new-yorker-cartoon-what-generals-medals.html)** > > "I got that one for being a good boy." [http://imgc.artprintimages.com/img/print/print/tom-cheney-men-walking-after-general-with-this-extra-medals-new-yorker-cartoon\_a-l-9189671-8419447.jpg](http://imgc.artprintimages.com/img/print/print/tom-cheney-men-walking-after-general-with-this-extra-medals-new-yorker-cartoon_a-l-9189671-8419447.jpg) [![](http://lizadonnelly.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/giving-stupid-interviews-copy3.jpg) ](http://lizadonnelly.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/giving-stupid-interviews-copy3.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/71 "2017-09-10T16:54:57Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > …Now want fun, start comparing [“unofficial” certificates](https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/customs-and-traditions/crossing-the-line/list-of-unofficial-us-navy-certificates.html) - I know he got Bluenose and Magellan on the same trip, and as I have said before, I think it is cheating to go around the world under the ice pack … > [@Chronos](#): > > To my mind, a trip is a circumnavigation iff it includes a closed loop, at least one pair of points on which are antipodal. It’s not enough to just hit every longitude line. Agreed. That said, I was on the USS _San Juan_ (SSN-751) for a deployment to the Arctic in the early '90s, and each crew member got Bluenose (crossing the Arctic Circle) and Golden Dragon (crossing the International Date Line) certificates. I thought the latter “award” was legitimate, and pretty neat for a boat out of Groton, Connecticut. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/72 "2017-09-10T18:23:19Z")
> [@robby](#): > > Agreed. That said, I was on the USS _San Juan_ (SSN-751) for a deployment to the Arctic in the early '90s, and each crew member got Bluenose (crossing the Arctic Circle) and Golden Dragon (crossing the International Date Line) certificates. I thought the latter “award” was legitimate, and pretty neat for a boat out of Groton, Connecticut. 🆒 Yup the same cruise mrAru was on as I recall 😛 He already had the Bluenose and the Magellan from the Spadefish trip in the late 80s. Did you decide to get the vial of Arctic Ocean water? And was that one of the cruises the Chop didn’t order enough stock for that segment of the run? ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/73 "2017-09-10T22:55:46Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Yup the same cruise mrAru was on as I recall 😛 He already had the Bluenose and the Magellan from the Spadefish trip in the late 80s. Did you decide to get the vial of Arctic Ocean water? And was that one of the cruises the Chop didn’t order enough stock for that segment of the run? I did not think to get a vial of Arctic water. I guess I figured it was pretty much the same as any other seawater, just colder… 🙂 I think it was on the deployment the following year (also in the Arctic) that we nearly ran out of food. As food stores dwindled, we started getting meals like chili mac with a side of canned beets. 😉 Finally they pulled us off station and sent us to Norway to pick up stores…which were far superior to what we normally got. It was the first time that the soft-serve ice cream on the boat was actually good, for example. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/74 "2017-09-11T00:30:14Z")
Hijack, but what sort of screw-up leads to a modern submarine departing on a mission with insufficient food? Or did your mission just keep getting extended without the shore folks knowing or caring about the developing problem? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/75 "2017-09-11T01:28:06Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > As a point of reference, [this](http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Ehud_Barak_military.jpg)is the most highly decorated soldier in Israeli military history. Whats that on his shoulder, looks like a sword crossed with a wheat sheath, does that make him part of the pioneers ? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/76 "2017-09-11T01:39:28Z")
If someone transfers from one service to another(say, Army to Air Force) can that person wear medals/ribbons from the former service on the current uniform? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/77 "2017-09-11T01:42:34Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > Whats that on his shoulder, looks like a sword crossed with a wheat sheath, does that make him part of the pioneers ? His Rank, he is a _Rav aluf_ (Ra’al) aka Ltn General. _Aluf_- Brigadier Generals just have the sword crossed with a wheat sheath. I dont doubt there is some significants of the symbolism of a sword crossed with a wheat sheath, but I dont know it. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/78 "2017-09-11T02:10:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If someone transfers from one service to another(say, Army to Air Force) can that person wear medals/ribbons from the former service on the current uniform? Yes, on the appropriate uniform. When I was in the USCG, one only wore ribbons (from any service) on a Dress Blue Long or Tropical uniform. You only wore large medals (from any service) on a Dress White Long or Tropical uniform. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/79 "2017-09-11T02:38:32Z")
> [@robby](#): > > …I think it was on the deployment the following year (also in the Arctic) that we nearly ran out of food. As food stores dwindled, we started getting meals like chili mac with a side of canned beets. 😉 … I remember reading in _The Perfect Storm_ that, when a swordfishing boat was on an extended cruise, lunch one day was a “salad” consisting of croutons with French dressing. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884/80 "2017-09-11T02:57:53Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Hijack, but what sort of screw-up leads to a modern submarine departing on a mission with insufficient food? Or did your mission just keep getting extended without the shore folks knowing or caring about the developing problem? As I recall, it was a planned 6-month deployment, with a port visit scheduled for the half-way point. The Supply Officer (aka “Chop”) therefore only loaded food for 3 months, plus an additional month contingency. Subsequently, due to operational issues, the port visit was repeatedly delayed. So by the 4-month point, supplies started running out. We could have conceivably made it for a few more weeks (with progressively more unappetizing and weird meals), but they brought us in before it got to that point. Note that a 4-month supply of food for a fast-attack submarine means filling all of the food supply lockers to the brim, converting both walk-in refrigeration units (“reefers”) to freezer units from the start and packing them full, and stacking hundreds and hundreds of #10 cans of food on every available deck surface in the forward compartment (which are then covered with rubber matting). You then walk on the cans hoping not to whack your head on the overhead. In exigent circumstances (which this peacetime mission was not, at least at the outset), we could’ve also loaded food stores in the engine room, which was normally not permitted because it could potentially interfere with operating and maintaining the engine room machinery. (Though we did sneak two large pallets of eggs into one of the lower level engine room compartments.) In any event, the Supply Officer still took a bunch of grief for running low on food when we did. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chest-full-of-service-ribbons-decorations-how-closely-are-they-read/791884.md?page=5)