# Identify this ribbon please? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2007, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769 "2007-02-04T08:30:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/1 "2007-02-04T08:30:13Z")
So, I’m editing the [Harmon Rabb](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmon_Rabb) article on Wikipedia, and I decided to use a ribbon rack builder website to make a new version of the ribbon rack they have displayed on the article, since the example shown lacks the service stars that the character earned on JAG. Only problem is, I can’t identify the last ribbon on his rack, so if anyone can tell me what ribbon it might be, I’d be grateful. Even if it’s a ribbon for an award a Naval aviator/JAG lawyer is unlikely to have gotten, it’ll work for my purposes just so I can build a new ribbon rack for the article. I’ve included a link to the picture that the article has. [![](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Harm%27s_Medals.JPG) ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Harm%27s_Medals.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/2 "2007-02-04T09:11:22Z")
[It’s not a U.S. military service ribbon.](http://www.answers.com/topic/harmon-rabb) > [@](#): > > Harm’s Awards and Decorations > > Naval Aviator Gold Wings > Harm’s RibbonsIn Order of Importance > > Silver Star > Distinguished Flying Cross (with gold award star) > Combat Action Ribbon > Meritorious Unit Commendation > National Defense Service Medal (with bronze service star) > Southwest Asia Service Medal (with bronze service star) > Kosovo Campaign Medal > Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal > Sea Service Deployment Ribbon > Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) > **Romanian Medal (given to him by the King of Romania after saving his daughter)** BTW, if someone is not aware, “In order of importance” means from right to left, top to bottom (as he wears them, not as one sees them). \*\*emphasis added. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/3 "2007-02-04T09:16:13Z")
Well yeah, but I need to figure out if there’s any actual ribbon that LOOKS like that one so I can make a new ribbon rack. It LOOKS like something I saw when I was in JROTC, so I might see if the site I used has some of those ribbons handy… ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/4 "2007-02-04T21:31:48Z")
Build a rack using some other ribbon in it’s place. Then photoshop the NATO ribbon or one that is similar to that Romanian one and paste it over that other ribbon. Then just host the pic on imageshak or something and you’re golden. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/5 "2007-02-04T21:57:05Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] Build a rack using some other ribbon in it’s place. Then photoshop the NATO ribbon or one that is similar to that Romanian one and paste it over that other ribbon. Then just host the pic on imageshak or something and you’re golden. [/QUOTE] Right right, but the problem was, I don’t know what ribbon to use to photoshop it in. If I use the original, the ribbons won’t match because they’re a different graphic quality and style. The guy who made the original ribbon racks went ahead and made up new ones with the stars though. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/6 "2007-02-04T22:30:23Z")
Ah. Well that’s easy. The only Active Military ribbon that is lower than the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), is the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. It looks nothing like the romanian one, of course, but it would serve as a place holder for the Romanian one and allow the others to sit in their proper position. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/7 "2007-02-04T22:48:14Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] Ah. Well that’s easy. The only Active Military ribbon that is lower than the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), is the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. [/QUOTE] Actually, since we’re talking about the Navy, the pistol and rifle ribbons would be lower. > **[Ribbon Checker](http://kepler.pratt.duke.edu/USNRibbons.html)** **Ragu** , use the Navy pistol ribbon. You would just need to edit the colors. ---
**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:** [February 4, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/8 "2007-02-04T23:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=Mince] …BTW, if someone is not aware, “In order of importance” means from right to left, top to bottom (as he wears them, not as one sees them). [/QUOTE] Or to put this a bit more clearly, the order of importance goes from left to right, top to bottom (as the observer looks at them). The most important award is the top left ribbon (as the observer looks at them). The least important award is the lower right. IIRC, foreign awards go after all U.S. awards. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/9 "2007-02-05T08:41:27Z")
[QUOTE=robby] Or to put this a bit more clearly, the order of importance goes from left to right, top to bottom (as the observer looks at them). The most important award is the top left ribbon (as the observer looks at them). The least important award is the lower right. IIRC, foreign awards go after all U.S. awards. [/QUOTE] Correct. Sorry Rag, your title said “Identify this ribbon please?” and the summary of your OP, essentially, was " I can’t identify the last ribbon on his rack, so if anyone can tell me what ribbon it might be, I’d be grateful." So I identified it for you. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/10 "2007-02-05T08:57:08Z")
[QUOTE=Mince] Sorry Rag, your title said “Identify this ribbon please?” and the summary of your OP, essentially, was " I can’t identify the last ribbon on his rack, so if anyone can tell me what ribbon it might be, I’d be grateful." So I identified it for you. [/QUOTE] Well, next time I’ll just have to phrase my requests more clearly in the future, thanks for your help anyways 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/11 "2007-02-05T09:00:26Z")
There’s a nifty bit about Navy awards (nifty, if you’re into a major hassle). When you’re wearing just the ribbons, you wear the awards that are only ribbons and also the ribbons that represent medals. The ribbon rack goes on the left chest. When you’re wearing the actual medals, then the medals go on your left chest and you have to put all the remaining ribbons (after you’ve stripped out the ribbons representing medals) in reverse order and put the ribbon rack on the right chest. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-ribbon-please/390769/12 "2007-02-05T09:13:50Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] There’s a nifty bit about Navy awards (nifty, if you’re into a major hassle). When you’re wearing just the ribbons, you wear the awards that are only ribbons and also the ribbons that represent medals. The ribbon rack goes on the left chest. When you’re wearing the actual medals, then the medals go on your left chest and you have to put all the remaining ribbons (after you’ve stripped out the ribbons representing medals) in reverse order and put the ribbon rack on the right chest. [/QUOTE] Aye. But only if your wearing the dress uniform. You don’t wear medals in any other uniform (working blues, working whites).