Fleet Marine Force Combat Operation Insignia
The Fleet Marine Force Combat Operation Insignia is a miniature 5⁄16 inch bronze United States Marine Corps emblem that may be authorized by the Secretary of the Navy for wear on specific campaign, expeditionary, and service medal ribbons issued to United States Navy service members attached to and on duty with Fleet Marine Force (FMF) units during combat operations and naval personnel on duty with navy units attached to and operating with Fleet Marine Force units while under Marine Corps operational control during combat operations.[1][2]
Criteria and wear
The Fleet Marine Force Combat Operation Insignia must be authorized by the Marine Corps unit commander in order to be worn by U.S. Navy service members such as hospital corpsmen and chaplains assigned to Marine Corps units and Seabees assigned to naval units operating with Marine Corps units. The Marine Corps unit and sailor must have engaged in active combat action with an armed enemy during the sailor's service with the Marine Corps unit, or the sailor and the navy unit must have engaged in active combat action with an armed enemy during the navy unit's operating service with the Marine Corps unit. No more than one Marine Corps emblem may be worn on the ribbons.[1]
The FMF combat operation insignia is positioned in the center of both the suspension ribbon and service ribbon of the medal. Any other authorized ribbon device such as the 3⁄16 inch service star or campaign star, are placed on either side of the FMF combat operation insignia, with the first star on the wearer's right of the insignia, the second star on the wearer's left of the insignia, and so on.
- Authorized medals
Current:
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Afghanistan Campaign Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
Past:
  Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon with FMF Combat Operation Insignia and 3⁄16" bronze campaign star |
- Iraq Campaign Medal
- Kosovo Campaign Medal
- Southwest Asia Service Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
- Korean Service Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Notable recipients
Medal of Honor recipients
Navy Chaplains
Vietnam War:
Navy Hospital Corpsmen
World War II:
- Robert E. Bush
- William D. Halyburton, Jr.
- Fred F. Lester
- Francis J. Pierce
- George E. Wahlen
- Jack Williams
- John H. Willis
Korean War:
Vietnam War:
See also
- Fleet Marine Force Insignia
- Hospital Corpsman
- Seabees
- United States military award devices
- Awards and decorations of the United States military
References
- 1 2 "Navy and Marine Awards Manual" (PDF). SECNAVINST 1650.1H. United States Navy. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ↑ "Fleet Marine Force Combat Operation Insignia".
Navy personnel who have been attached to a Fleet Marine Force Unit in active combat with an armed enemy beginning with World War II are authorized to wear a 1/8 inch bronze miniature Marine Corps emblem centered on the suspension ribbon of the World War II Area Campaign Medal, Korean Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Southwest Asia Service Medal. Only one device is centered on a ribbon or medal. Other attachments (stars, etc.) are arranged on either side, with first to wearer's right, second to wearer's left, and so on.