Q & A

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps On Personal Decorations

What weight does rank play when determining a Marine’s award?

I’ve been involved in the awards process on many levels, especially when I was the sergeant major of I Marine Expeditionary Force. I sat in on the board for all awards submissions –enlisted and officer – and rank didn’t and still doesn’t make a difference when it comes to awarding a Marine for his service or actions.

The award confusion comes when you start talking about the Bronze Star and Bronze Star with V. What a lot of people don’t realize is that the Bronze Star is equivalent to a Meritorious Service Medal. The Marines that are hooking and jabbing on the battlefield are getting the Bronze Stars w/ V – which is for Valor.

We should never cheapen the awards process by doubting why someone did or didn’t get a specific award. The Marine Corps is not liberal when awarding awards – we have a strict standard – and when a Marine has on his awards, we should know without a doubt that he earned them.

More than just decoration, what do these ribbons on our chest mean? Should Marines wear all the ribbons and medals they earn?
The Marine Corps order states that Marines have the option to wear only their personal awards if they want to.

I personally believe Marines should want to wear all of the medals and ribbons they’ve earned. The commandant even took it a step further when he first came into office by requiring Marines to also wear the shooting badges when in the service uniform.

Can one fairly and accurately size up a Marine by decoding his awards?
I don’t think it is fair for anyone to be looked at either more positively or negatively for what awards they have. We need to look at the whole Marine. We need to judge Marines on how they perform in both garrison and combat. We also have to remember that some Marines haven’t had the opportunity to get to combat, but want to go. We shouldn’t separate those Marines who have gone to combat from those who have not. Those that want to go to combat will get their chance.

Ribbons and medals do not make the Marine. The whole Marine concept requires Marines to be able to perform in garrison and in combat.

Is there a Dan Daly, a Chesty Puller-caliber Marine in our ranks?
Marines are living up to their legacy today in garrison and in combat. Marines today are making the future legacy for the Marine Corps. There is no such thing as old Corps, new Corps. It’s the same Corps.

What is your proudest decoration?
My proudest moment in the Marine Corps came the day I became a Marine. Earning the title of “Marine” has always been my proudest decoration.

Medals. Brass or anodized?
Both. I have them both and don’t really have a preference.