Awards and decorations of the National Guard
Awards and decorations of the National Guard are presented to members of the United States National Guard and sometimes to members of the State Defense Forces in addition to regular United States military decorations. Each of the state governments of the United States maintains a series of military decorations for issuance to members of the National Guard, with such awards presented under the authority of the various state adjutants general.
Those National Guard soldiers who subsequently serve in the active or reserve federal forces of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or United States Air Force (i.e., as active duty or reserve members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard) may not continue to wear and display such decorations on a military uniform, unless such activation is under Title 32 status. Active duty regulations allow federal soldiers to accept but not to wear state awards.
Most states authorize the wear of other states' awards if a soldier has earned awards from a state or territory to which he or she is not presently assigned. The order of precedence is typically the presently assigned state, followed by awards from the District of Columbia, then other states by their order of admission.
The following is a list of National Guard decorations, as issued by each of the fifty United States; Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Alabama National Guard State Awards:
- Alabama Distinguished Service Medal
- Alabama Commendation Medal
- Alabama Phenix City Civil Disturbance Medal
- Alabama Operation Desert Storm Ribbon
- Alabama Veterans Service Medal
- Alabama National Emergency Service Medal
- Alabama Special Service Medal
- Alabama Faithful Service Medal
- Alabama Recruiting Ribbon
- Alabama Active Duty Basic Training Medal
Alaska National Guard State Awards:
- Alaska Legion of Merit
- Alaska Distinguished Service Medal
- Alaska Air Medal
- Alaska Cold War Victory Ribbon
- Alaska Commendation Medal
- Alaska Domestic Emergency Ribbon
- Alaska Recruiting & Retention Ribbon
- Alaska Homeland Security Medal
- Alaska Humanitarian Service Medal
- Alaska Community Service Medal
- Alaska State Service Medal
- Alaska Adjutant General's Marksmanship Proficiency Award
- Alaska Governors Distinguished Unit Citation
- Alaska Territorial Guard Medal
Arizona National Guard State Awards:
- Arizona Medal of Valor
- Arizona Distinguished Service Medal
- Arizona Adjutant General's Medal
- Arizona Meritorious Service Medal
- Arizona Exceptionally Long Service Medal
- Arizona Long Service Medal
- Arizona Service Ribbon
- Arizona Military Academy Ribbon (OCS) (No longer awarded)
- Arizona Military Academy Ribbon (NCO) (No longer awarded)
- Arizona Southwest Asia Service Support Ribbon
- Arizona State Active Duty Service Ribbon
- Arizona Re-enlistment Ribbon (No Longer awarded)
- Arizona Community Service Ribbon
- Arizona Initial Active Duty for Training Ribbon (No longer awarded)
- Arizona Recruiting Ribbon
- Arizona Honor Attendance Ribbon (No Longer Awarded)
Arkansas National Guard State Awards:
- Arkansas Medal of Honor
- Arkansas Distinguished Service Medal
- Arkansas Exceptional Service Medal
- Arkansas Commendation Medal
- Arkansas Federal Service Ribbon
- Arkansas Service Ribbon
- Arkansas Emergency Service Ribbon
- Arkansas Recruiting Ribbon
California National Guard State Awards:
- California Order of California
- California Medal of Valor
- California Military Cross
- California Medal of Merit
- California Commendation Medal
- California Good Conduct Medal
- California Service Medal
- California Enlisted Trainers Excellence Ribbon
- California Enlisted Excellence Ribbon
- California Recruiting Achievement Ribbon
- California National Guard Federal Service Ribbon
- California State Service Ribbon
- California NCO Academy Ribbon
- California Counterdrug Service Ribbon
- California Drill Attendance Ribbon
- California Memorial Medal
- California Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation
- California Commanding General's Meritorious Unit Citation
Colorado National Guard State Awards:
Connecticut National Guard State Awards:
- Connecticut Medal of Valor
- Connecticut Medal of Merit
- Connecticut Desert Storm Campaign Ribbon
- Connecticut Long Service Ribbon
- Governors Foot Guard Five Year Service Ribbon
- Connecticut Emergency Service Ribbon
- Connecticut Selected Reserve Force Medal
- Connecticut Outstanding Unit Award
- Connecticut Wartime Veterans Medal
Delaware National Guard State Awards:
- Delaware Conspicuous Service Cross
- Delaware Distinguished Service Medal
- Delaware Medal for Military Merit
- Delaware National Guard Medal
- Delaware National Defense Service Ribbon
- Delaware Medal for Service in Aid to Civil Authority
- Delaware Recruiting Ribbon
- Delaware Physical Fitness Ribbon
- Delaware National Guard Governor's Meritorious Unit Award
- Delaware National Guard Unit Strength Award
District of Columbia National Guard District Awards:
- District of Columbia Distinguished Service Medal
- District of Columbia Meritorious Service Medal
- District of Columbia Commendation Medal
- District of Columbia Achievement Medal
- District of Columbia Homeland Defense Medal (ribbon has three red stars in the center.
- District of Columbia NCO Commendation Ribbon
- District of Columbia Enlisted Excellence Ribbon
- District of Columbia Long and Faithful Service Medal (one medal for three years, recognition for five years and additional five year increments noted with Roman Numerals up to 45 years)
- District of Columbia Emergency Service Ribbon (Deactivated)
- District of Columbia Recognition Ribbon
- District of Columbia Special Award Ribbon
- District of Columbia Recruiting and Retention Ribbon (Deactivated)
- District of Columbia Community Service Ribbon
- District of Columbia Ceremonial/Drill Team/Color Guard Ribbon
- District of Columbia Active Duty Ribbon (Deactivated)
- District of Columbia Attendance Ribbon
- District of Columbia Commanding General's Outstanding Unit Award
Florida National Guard State Awards:
- Florida Governor's Meritorious Unit Citation
- Florida Cross
- Florida Distinguished Service Medal
- Florida Service Medal
- Florida Commendation Medal
- Florida Meritorious Service Ribbon
- Florida Service Ribbon
- Florida Active State Duty Ribbon
- Florida Recruiting Ribbon
- Florida Retention Ribbon
Georgia National Guard State Awards:
- Georgia Distinctive Service Medal
- Georgia Oglethorpe Distinguished Service Medal
- Georgia Medal for Valor [1]
- Georgia Injury Medal (approved but not issued)
- Georgia Superior Service Medal (approved but not issued)
- Georgia Meritorious Service Medal [2]
- Georgia DoD Commendation Medal (approved but not issued)
- Georgia Commendation Medal [3]
- Georgia Distinguished Foreign Service Medal [4]
- Georgia Selected Reserve Force Ribbon
- Georgia Special Operations Ribbon
- Georgia Olympic Ribbon
- Georgia Humanitarian Service Ribbon
- Georgia Service Medal [5]
- Georgia Active Duty Ribbon
- Georgia Counter Narcotics/Drug Support Service Ribbon
- Georgia Recruiting
- Georgia Distinguished Unit Ribbon [6]
- Guam Cross of Valor
- Distinguished Service Medal of Guam
- Guam Commendation Medal
- Organizational Medal
- Faithfull Service Medal of Guam
- Recruiting bar
- Counter Drug Service
- Operation Desert Storm Meritorious Service Medal
Hawaii National Guard State Awards:
- Hawaii Medal of Honor
- Hawaii Medal for Valor
- Hawaii Distinguished Service Order
- Hawaii Medal for Merit
- Hawaii Commendation Medal
- Hawaii Service Medal (type 2)
- Hawaii State Active Duty Ribbon
- Hawaii 1968 Federal Service Ribbon
- Hawaii Active Duty Basic Training Ribbon
- Hawaii Hurricane Iniki Ribbon
- Hawaii Operation Kokua Ribbon
- Hawaii Recruiting Ribbon
Idaho National Guard State Awards:
- Idaho Cross
- Idaho Distinguished Service Medal
- Idaho Meritorious Service Medal
- Idaho Emergency Service Ribbon
- Idaho Recruiting Ribbon
- Idaho Reenlistment Ribbon
- Idaho State Service Ribbon
- Idaho Basic Training Ribbon
- Idaho Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation
- Idaho Adjutant General's Excellence Award
Awards and decorations of the Illinois National Guard:
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