Marksmanship ribbon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marksmanship Ribbon |
|
|---|---|
U.S. Marksmanship Ribbons
|
|
| Presented by | Department of the Navy, Department of the Air Force, and United States Coast Guard |
A marksmanship ribbon is a special award given to members of the United States Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. To earn one, a service member must pass a special course where they show they are really good at shooting weapons. They need to get a score that's better than average. Some state National Guard groups also give out these ribbons. They award them to people who do very well in shooting contests within their state.
Contents
Earning a Marksmanship Ribbon
These ribbons show that a person is skilled with firearms. It's like getting a medal for being great at a sport. Once a service member earns a marksmanship ribbon, they usually get to wear it for their entire career. This means they don't have to qualify again and again to keep it.
The U.S. Navy has given out two types of marksmanship awards since 1920. These are the Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon and the Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon. The pistol ribbon is for qualifying with the Beretta M9 9mm pistol. The rifle ribbon is for qualifying with the M4 variant.
The Navy has three levels for these ribbons:
- Marksman: This is the basic level, and you get the ribbon itself.
- Sharpshooter: For this higher level, you get a special device to wear on your ribbon.
- Expert: This is the highest level. If you qualify as an Expert, you receive a Marksmanship Medal in addition to the ribbon.
From 1942 to 1951, the Navy had a Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Ribbon. This ribbon honored those who had earned a special badge for being excellent shooters. In 1952, this ribbon was split into two new awards. These were the Distinguished Marksman Ribbon for rifle skills and the Distinguished Pistol Shot Ribbon for pistol skills.
Air Force and Space Force Marksmanship
The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force give out one ribbon called the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. You earn this ribbon by being an expert with either the M16 rifle, M4 carbine, or the M9 or M17/18 pistol. This ribbon is given at only one level: Expert.
However, if you qualify as an expert with both a service rifle and a pistol, you can wear a small bronze star on your ribbon. This ribbon was first approved on August 28, 1962. It was given to all Air Force and Space Force members who qualified after January 1, 1963. Before this ribbon existed, Air Force members received a certificate for their shooting skills.
Coast Guard Marksmanship Ribbons
The U.S. Coast Guard gives out marksmanship ribbons in a similar way to the U.S. Navy. However, Coast Guardsmen use a .40 caliber SIG Sauer P229R DAK pistol instead of the Navy's M9 pistol. The Coast Guard has two ribbons: the Coast Guard Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon and the Coast Guard Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon.
Just like the Navy, if you qualify at the Sharpshooter or Expert level, you get a special device for your ribbon. If you achieve an Expert qualification, you are awarded the Marksmanship Medal instead of just the ribbon.
National Guard Marksmanship Awards
The National Guard also has special awards for top shooters. Each year, champion marksmanship teams from different states compete.
Missouri National Guard Awards
In the Missouri National Guard, the top twelve guardsmen chosen to represent their state get the Governor's Twelve Ribbon. This ribbon is worn on their dress uniforms. If a guardsman earns this award more than once, they wear special Hawthorn Cluster device(s) on the ribbon. They also get a Governor's Twelve Tab for their combat uniform.
The Adjutant General of Missouri also gives out the Adjutant General's Twenty Ribbon. This is for soldiers and airmen who are among the top twenty competitors in the state's combat matches each year. This includes the best rifle shooters, pistol shooters, light machine gun teams, and scout/sniper teams. Along with this ribbon, they also receive the Adjutant General's Twenty Combat Badge.
These ribbons can be worn permanently on dress uniforms when the guardsmen are under state control. However, if they are called to federal duty, they cannot wear these state ribbons until they return to state control.
Other Military Branches
The U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps do not give out marksmanship ribbons. Instead, they award weapons qualification badges to show a service member's shooting skills.
See also
- Marksmanship Device
- Marksmanship Medal
- Marksmanship Badge (United States)
- Awards and decorations of the United States military
