Navy Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon
Service: Navy, Marine Corps
Instituted: 1987
Criteria: 12 months consecutive or accumulated duty at an overseas shore base duty station.
Devices: Bronze, Silver Star
The Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon was first proposed in 1968, but not officially approved until June of 1987. The decoration is awarded to any member of the Navy or Marine Corps who completes one year of consecutive or cumulative duty at a permanent overseas duty station. For members of the reserve components, the decoration is authorized upon completion of either thirty consecutive or forty five cumulative days of overseas active duty for training.
In 1999, a directive of the Chief of Naval Operations permitted those personnel stationed on overseas homeported naval vessels to receive the Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon. Prior to this time, such personnel were only eligible to receive the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. Current regulations now permit the receipt of both decorations for the same tour of duty.
Additional awards of the Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon are denoted by service stars.