Ribbon Rack

[Cool Mace]

Is there a certain order of the rows that have four ribbons? For example I have sean 4,4,3,3. Is that mandatory or just happened to be the same.

It just happened to be the same. It can be a mix of anything aligning to the right (or wearers left depending how you look at it).

[lordmonar]

Is there a certain order of the rows that have four ribbons? For example I have sean 4,4,3,3. Is that mandatory or just happened to be the same.

It just happened to be the same. It can be a mix of anything aligning to the right (or wearers left depending how you look at it).

Well.....it has to build up....you can't do 4.3.4.2.3. 

Also the actual placement and when you cross over is driven by the individual's budy type.

On my full Service Dress I have to go something like 4.4.4.4.3.2 to get them all on there.

While there is no hard and fast rule on when you can or can't go four across.....the implied rule is....if you can get all of them on there with three across....go three across....if you need to stagger...then stagger....if you need to go four across....then go four across.

This is just my opinion....if a C/SSgt was sporting a single row of four ribbons....I would make him go to 3.1.....as eclipse says....it does look better and is in keeping with the USAF rules.

[Critical AOA]

I think that 39-1 says to wear ribbons five across on the ABUs as long as you were the beret.

[jeders]

I think that 39-1 says to wear ribbons five across on the ABUs as long as you were the beret.

Except on the third full moon when you wear a boonie hat and mauve boots.

[MIKE]

CAPM 39-1 has like diagrams and stuff for this.

[Eclipse]

I think that 39-1 says to wear ribbons five across on the ABUs as long as you were the beret.

Except on the third full moon when you wear a boonie hat and mauve boots.

The NB just changed that to fuchsia...

[jeders]

I think that 39-1 says to wear ribbons five across on the ABUs as long as you were the beret.

Except on the third full moon when you wear a boonie hat and mauve boots.

The NB just changed that to fuchsia...

I think they just referred it to a committee to think about which committee to submit the final shade to for consideration of approval at the 2018 NB meeting which will be overruled by the NEC.

[Eclipse]

Heh - referred to committee with the hope that the new governance would no longer need these committees!

[Garibaldi]

I think that 39-1 says to wear ribbons five across on the ABUs as long as you were the beret.

Except on the third full moon when you wear a boonie hat and mauve boots.

The NB just changed that to fuchsia...

I think they just referred it to a committee to think about which committee to submit the final shade to for consideration of approval at the 2018 NB meeting which will be overruled by the NEC.

So...we can have ABUs now?

[Private Investigator]

I just wear three CAP ribbons. Every now and then I wear two or three military ribbons just for giggles.

The KDSM is the encampment ribbon for adults   

[lordmonar]

I just wear three CAP ribbons. Every now and then I wear two or three military ribbons just for giggles.

The KDSM is the encampment ribbon for adults   

HAHA..... :angel:

[C/2d Lt]

How come senor members do not where all of there ribbons unless they have there service jacket? I know that you have to where them with the service jacket they have to be how come they don't with the dress blues, Without the service jacket?

[Eclipse]

How come senor members do not where all of there ribbons unless they have there service jacket? I know that you have to where them with the service jacket they have to be how come they don't with the dress blues, Without the service jacket?

Regulations allow for "all or some" ribbons for senior members on their service coats, this is simply the rule.  Most members wear all of them,
but some with a lot of them choose to remove some of the more common ones in order reduce the size of the rack.  Cadets do not have this option.

Traditionally, USAF officers do not wear ribbons on blues shirts, though this is a custom and not a hard-fast rule. 
It should be noted that unless specified by the commander as UOD, cadets are not required to wear ribbons on their blues shirt, either.

[RogueLeader]

How come senor members do not wear all of their ribbons unless they have their service jacket?<snip because I can't understand that poor grammar>

We are not required by regulation for our service coats.  We usually don't wear ribbons on blue shirts because of USAF tradition.

[jeders]

How come senor members do not where all of there ribbons unless they have there service jacket? I know that you have to where them with the service jacket they have to be how come they don't with the dress blues, Without the service jacket?

Ok, that was really hard to read and understand because of the poor grammar, but what I think you're asking is, "Why do Senior Members only wear ribbons on the jacket and never on the shirt?"

First, I know of many seniors who do wear there ribbons on the shirt, though I haven't been one of them for a very long time.

Part of the reason is that it's a hassle. The shirt has to be laundered much more often than the jacket, and each time you do that you have to take everything off and then put it back on. The jacket usually sits in a closet and gets pulled out for a special occasion where it is worn for minutes, not hours. It then gets put back into the closet. So this in itself gives an incentive to not wear ribbons on the shirt.

Another part is tradition. In the air force, so I am told, it is rare for officers to wear ribbons on there shirt. Instead they just wear badges. As the USAF Auxiliary, we tend to mimic this tradition, especially since many in our ranks are current/former air force personnel.

As a new senior 2d Lt I wore all of my ribbons (far fewer than I had as a cadet) on my shirt. After about 8 or 9 months I decided that it was too much hassle, and I wanted to fit in better with the other seniors, so I stopped wearing ribbons on the shirt. Now my ribbons live on my service coat which is rarely taken out of a suit bag hanging in my closet.

Edit to remove bad info

[EMT-83]

Because I wear G/W, a service coat isn't an option. I normally wear ribbons with long sleeves, but not short.

[MSgt Van]

When on active duty, I always wore my full rack when wearing a blue shirt combo.  That was usually in an Air Training Command environment though. I wear them four across if I wear both AF badge and CAP wings on my blouse but usually go with the three wide rack with single badge.

[David Lewis]

If you are placing 4 ribbons across at the bottom of your ribbon rack, you MUST have 4 ribbons across in both of the bottom 2 rows.  This from CAPM 39-1 "Multiples of 3 or 4 in two bottom rows, but to prevent coat lapel from covering ribbons, each row thereafter MAY contain less than three, with top row centered over the row
immediately below."  Like most things in CAPM 39-1, it isn't explained very well, nor do they have a myriad of visual charts like 39-1's big brother, the USAF Uniform Instruction AFI 3629-03 does.  After the first two or three rows of 4 across on the bottom rows, ribbons should be aligned in rows of 3 aligned to the right.  The top row, if it contains less than 3 ribbons, will be centered over the row below it.
                                                                _____
                                                     ______)_____)_____
                                                     )_____)_____)_____)
                                          ______)_____)_____)_____)
                                          )_____)_____)_____)_____)
                                          )_____)_____)_____)_____)

Check out Figure 11.1 in the Air Force Instruction for some better visuals then I can produce on my keyboard   

Warmest Regards,

Dave           

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I'm not in a place where I can quote the 39-1, but I am pretty sure there is a line about cadets being able to drop their stack off of their shirt. I have never seen any cadet do this, nor would I promote it, but that is something I am pretty sure I saw in the 39-1.

also, I had to add a false pocket on my service jacket. I tried four across and ended up nearly with ribbons in my armpit. Not comfortable, nor did it look right. My chest just isn't wide enough for it. I wish it Were, because if I add one more ribbon, I'm going to have to drop something. I'm right at the tip of my collar. And it is just right on the 1/2" spacing. I'm thinking of buying a service jacket one size too big and having it tailored to fit correctly.

[Eclipse]

I'm not in a place where I can quote the 39-1, but I am pretty sure there is a line about cadets being able to drop their stack off of their shirt. I have never seen any cadet do this, nor would I promote it, but that is something I am pretty sure I saw in the 39-1.

Meaning the option to not wear ribbons?

For cadets, on the shirt, it has to be "all or none", but none is always an option.