can you put cap ribbons on military uniform

[LSThiker]

I never understood the BMT ribbon. You have to have graduated Basic training to be wearing any ribbons...... so why is there a ribbon for it?

For those that transfer from the Army to the USAF and the USAF to the Army.

[bflynn]

I never understood the BMT ribbon. You have to have graduated Basic training to be wearing any ribbons...... so why is there a ribbon for it?

Someone with prior service (any branch) would not go through BMT.  Maybe that means 99% of the people wear it.

[lordmonar]

I never understood the BMT ribbon. You have to have graduated Basic training to be wearing any ribbons...... so why is there a ribbon for it?

After the end of the Vietnam war.....graduates of BMTS no longer had any ribbon to put on their uniforms.  (the National Defense Service Medal end day for that era was 14 aug 1974).....by 1980 this bothered USAF types and they created the Air Force Training Ribbon and made it retro active to 1974 so that everyone would have something on the left side upon graduation.

The Army followed suit in 1981.

[Flying Pig]

When I went to boot camp (USMC) I had DI's who were Staff Sgt's who only has 4-5 ribbons total   The ones who had been to Desert Shield/Storm may have had 4-5 more.  To see someone in the Marines in the 90s with more than a couple rows of ribbons was pretty rare.  When I switched from the Marines to the Army... I didnt rate the rainbow ribbon because I never attended any AIT

[lordmonar]

When I went to boot camp (USMC) I had DI's who were Staff Sgt's who only has 4-5 ribbons total   The ones who had been to Desert Shield/Storm may have had 4-5 more.

Sucks to be a Marine. 

But on the other side of that coin.....you guys all had some cool dangleies, and your dress uniform is the envy of the world!

[Flying Pig]

When I went to boot camp (USMC) I had DI's who were Staff Sgt's who only has 4-5 ribbons total   The ones who had been to Desert Shield/Storm may have had 4-5 more.

Sucks to be a Marine. 

But on the other side of that coin.....you guys all had come cool dangleies, and your dress uniform is the envy of the world!

You mean all the female danglies who attract to our dress blues like moths to a porch light? 

[lordmonar]

When I went to boot camp (USMC) I had DI's who were Staff Sgt's who only has 4-5 ribbons total   The ones who had been to Desert Shield/Storm may have had 4-5 more.

Sucks to be a Marine. 

But on the other side of that coin.....you guys all had come cool dangleies, and your dress uniform is the envy of the world!

You mean all the female danglies who attract to our dress blues like moths to a porch light?

Your rifle and pistol Qualification Badges.

[Flying Pig]

Oh.... yeah, those....

[LSThiker]

I never understood the BMT ribbon. You have to have graduated Basic training to be wearing any ribbons...... so why is there a ribbon for it?

Someone with prior service (any branch) would not go through BMT.  Maybe that means 99% of the people wear it.

Yes and no.  USAF accepts all basic military training.  The Army accepts only USMC and Army basic training.  Navy I am not sure about.  USMC only accepts USMC basic.  So if you transfer from one service to another, you may have to complete basic training again depending on the conditions, regardless of rank.

[capmaj]

Graduated USAF Basic in 1968. All you got then was the National Defense. If you graduated with 'Honors', you got a stripe. That was it.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

It was weird for my dad.  He did two years in the National Guard, and he said back then Guardsmen didn't go to Army BCT (but they drilled every Wednesday night).  He got out of the Guard and intended to join the Navy, got as far as talking with a recruiter and filling out his initial paperwork...and got drafted into the Army.  He then had to go through Army Basic at Fort Hood but I think because of his Guard service he came out already a PFC (he'd made Corporal in the Guard).  I think he was also made "Acting Corporal" by his Drill Sergeant.

He had exactly two pieces of bling: the Army Marksman's badge with "Rifle" designator, and the Army Good Conduct Medal (he was always incredulous that he got that).  He was in during one of the "gaps" that they didn't award the NDSM for.  He said back in his day, if you graduated from BCT...you graduated and got nothing special for it except a handshake from your Drill Sergeant (if you were lucky).

[lordmonar]

And back in Ceasar's time they just came to your village one night rounded you all up....handed out pikes and lined them up in a field at dawn.

Things change.   Sometimes better, sometimes worse.....sometimes indifferent.

[Flying Pig]

In 1939 when my grandfather joined the IL Army Guard, he qualified in "Musketry".

[capmaj]

And back in Ceasar's time they just came to your village one night rounded you all up....handed out pikes and lined them up in a field at dawn.

Things change.   Sometimes better, sometimes worse.....sometimes indifferent.

I don't think folks were comparing then and now in a good or bad way........ just telling folk stories.

[DoubleSecret]

Would you rather be the guy who knows things, or the guy who asks the guy who knows things?

I should have added a third category:  The guy who asks the guy who thinks he knows things.

The guy who thinks he knows things is the most dangerous to consult.  To the untrained eye, he looks like the guy who knows things.

[THRAWN]

And back in Ceasar's time they just came to your village one night rounded you all up....handed out pikes and lined them up in a field at dawn.

Things change.   Sometimes better, sometimes worse.....sometimes indifferent.

20 years or 20 campaigns for a plot of land and the title Citizen of Rome....we should be handing out pikes....

[flyboy53]

I never understood the BMT ribbon. You have to have graduated Basic training to be wearing any ribbons...... so why is there a ribbon for it?

After the end of the Vietnam war.....graduates of BMTS no longer had any ribbon to put on their uniforms.  (the National Defense Service Medal end day for that era was 14 aug 1974).....by 1980 this bothered USAF types and they created the Air Force Training Ribbon and made it retro active to 1974 so that everyone would have something on the left side upon graduation.

The Army followed suit in 1981.

Actually, the real intent of that ribbon -- it was approved in 1980 along with the AF overseas service ribbons -- was to recognize everyone who enlisted in the Air Force as part of what was then called the All Volunteer Training Concept. Then the older AF vets got jealous and it was extended to 1974. The cutoffs for the overseas service ribbons, however, remained the same.

My big thing of that era was the BMTS Honor Grad ribbon -- I never understood why someone would want to earn that ribbon -- but then there was only one in my BMTS flight in 1977. Then, during my career over the next two decades, the number of people I knew who earned it could be counted on two hands.

Its all relative, I guess.

It was weird for my dad.  He did two years in the National Guard, and he said back then Guardsmen didn't go to Army BCT (but they drilled every Wednesday night).  He got out of the Guard and intended to join the Navy, got as far as talking with a recruiter and filling out his initial paperwork...and got drafted into the Army.  He then had to go through Army Basic at Fort Hood but I think because of his Guard service he came out already a PFC (he'd made Corporal in the Guard).  I think he was also made "Acting Corporal" by his Drill Sergeant.

He had exactly two pieces of bling: the Army Marksman's badge with "Rifle" designator, and the Army Good Conduct Medal (he was always incredulous that he got that).  He was in during one of the "gaps" that they didn't award the NDSM for.  He said back in his day, if you graduated from BCT...you graduated and got nothing special for it except a handshake from your Drill Sergeant (if you were lucky).

Never quibble over a Good Conduct Medal. In the Army it's actually considered a decoration -- sometimes awarded with a certificate, orders, and a lapel pin. There are many that I've met of that same era who are very proud that they at least have that medal.

[Flying Pig]

I got my Good Cookie by the skin of my teeth

[PHall]

I got my Good Cookie by the skin of my teeth

Seems to be a challange to get your Good Conduct Medal in the Corps. But they also hand out NJP by the metric crapton too.
About the only place you see that in the Air Force is the cops.

[lordmonar]

The honor grad ribbon is awarded to only 10 % of the flight max.  There are hard gates to pass as well so it is possible for no honor grads or up to maybe four. 

I don't think any one actually tries to get it.  But sometimes things come together and it worked out.   

By the way you get to add one more name tho those you know who earned it.