The Navy ribbon order of precedence decides where every ribbon sits on your uniform, from the Medal of Honor down to your newest training ribbon. Sailors face this system at every uniform inspection, advancement board, and ceremony, and the rules differ from the Army’s in a few ways that trip people up. This guide explains where the official order comes from, how the Navy groups awards, the exact sequence of the top decorations, and how to check your own rack in five steps.
Quick Answer: Navy ribbons follow a strict order of precedence. Wear the highest award at the top of the rack, closest to your heart, on your left chest. SECNAVINST 1650.1J and the SECNAV M-1650.1 awards manual establish each award, while U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations (NAVPERS 15665, Chapter 5) govern the wear order in rows of three.
What Is the Navy Ribbon Order of Precedence?
Order of precedence is the official ranking of every award a Sailor can wear. A higher award always sits above and to the wearer’s right of a lower one, so the top row holds your most senior decorations. The Medal of Honor outranks everything in the Department of the Navy. When a new award arrives, it slots into its assigned place and everything below it shifts.
The order matters for more than looks. Inspectors check racks against the regulation, and board members read your rack before you say a word.
Which Publications Set the Navy Order of Precedence?
Three official publications split the job:
- SECNAVINST 1650.1J (Department of the Navy Military Awards Policy, 29 May 2019) sets the policy for every decoration, medal, and ribbon in the Navy and Marine Corps.
- SECNAV M-1650.1 (Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, August 2019) gives the detailed criteria for each award and lists personal decorations in order of precedence.
- U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations (NAVPERS 15665, Chapter 5) governs how Sailors wear awards on each uniform, including the full precedence chart and placement rules.
So the awards manual tells you what you rate, and the uniform regulations tell you where it goes. You can read all three free on official Navy and Marine Corps sites. Your verified awards live in the Navy Department Awards Web Service (NDAWS), which you can reach through BUPERS Online.
How Does the Navy Group Awards by Category?
The Navy ranks whole categories first, then ranks awards inside each category. The categories run in this order:
- U.S. military decorations, including the Combat Action Ribbon
- U.S. unit awards, such as the Presidential Unit Citation and Navy Unit Commendation
- U.S. nonmilitary decorations
- The Navy Good Conduct Medal
- U.S. campaign and service medals
- U.S. service and training ribbons
- Foreign decorations and awards
- Marksmanship awards, which sit at the very end of the rack
That last line surprises many Sailors. The Navy places marksmanship awards, like the Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon, after every other ribbon, including foreign awards. The category system also explains why a Good Conduct Medal outranks every campaign medal: its category simply comes first.
What Is the Order of the Top Navy Decorations?
Within personal decorations, the senior awards run in this sequence: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and Purple Heart.
Below those sit the meritorious awards: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. The Combat Action Ribbon follows the Achievement Medal and closes out the decorations category.
After unit awards and the Good Conduct Medal come the campaign and service medals. Common ones, in order, include the National Defense Service Medal, the GWOT Expeditionary Medal, the GWOT Service Medal, and the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal. Reservists should also note the Navy Reserve Meritorious Service Medal, which recognizes qualifying Reserve service. See the complete sequence on our Navy ribbons in order of precedence page.
How Do You Wear Navy Ribbons Correctly?
NAVPERS 15665, Chapter 5, sets the placement rules. The main ones:
- Wear ribbons in horizontal rows of three, centered above the left breast pocket.
- Place the senior ribbon at the top, on the wearer’s right (the viewer’s left).
- Center an incomplete top row of one or two ribbons over the row below it.
- On uniforms where ribbons and medals appear together, follow the chapter’s split rules for which awards move to medal form.
- Add devices such as gold and bronze stars exactly as your orders authorize. In the Navy, a gold star marks an additional award of the same decoration, not an oak leaf cluster like the Army uses.
- Never reorder ribbons for looks. Precedence always controls placement.
One more Navy-specific rule helps Sailors with large racks: on certain uniforms, the regulations let you wear either your full rack or only your three senior ribbons. Check Chapter 5 for which uniforms allow the short rack before you choose.
If your full rack has grown past three or four rows, weight becomes a real problem, because a tall standard rack tips forward off the pocket. A flat-mounted rack fixes that. Our ultra thin ribbons guide explains how flat mounting works, and our post on thin ribbon regulations by branch covers what the Navy allows.
How Do You Check Your Own Navy Rack Step by Step?
Run this five-step check whenever you gain an award or prepare for an inspection:
- Pull your record. Log into BUPERS Online and check NDAWS. Veterans should use the DD-214, block 13.
- List every award. Include unit awards, the Good Conduct Medal, campaign medals, training ribbons, and marksmanship awards.
- Match the list to the current chart. Compare your awards to the precedence chart in NAVPERS 15665 or our Navy ribbons page.
- Verify your devices. Gold stars, bronze stars, the Combat “V”, and strike/flight numerals on the Air Medal all come from your orders.
- Rebuild the rack. Mount everything in rows of three with the senior award on top, or let our rack builder sequence the whole rack automatically.
Build Your Navy Rack the Easy Way
You do not need to memorize the chart. Our ribbon rack builder holds the current Navy ribbon order of precedence for every award. Select your ribbons, add your devices, and we mount the rack ultra thin, aligned, and ready to wear.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest Navy ribbon?
The Medal of Honor holds the top spot in the Navy ribbon order of precedence. The Navy Cross follows it as the second highest award for combat valor.
Where do marksmanship ribbons go on a Navy rack?
Marksmanship awards sit at the very end of the rack, after all U.S. and foreign awards. The Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon and Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon always come last.
What regulation covers Navy ribbon order?
SECNAVINST 1650.1J and SECNAV M-1650.1 establish Navy awards. U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations, NAVPERS 15665, Chapter 5, sets the wear order and placement rules.
How many ribbons do Sailors wear in each row?
Sailors wear ribbons in rows of three, centered above the left breast pocket. An incomplete top row of one or two ribbons sits centered over the row below.
Can Sailors wear only three ribbons?
Yes, on certain uniforms. Navy Uniform Regulations let Sailors wear either the full rack or only the three most senior ribbons. Check Chapter 5 for which uniforms allow it.
Does a gold star mean the same thing as an oak leaf cluster?
Yes, in effect. The Navy uses a gold star to mark an additional award of the same decoration, where the Army uses a bronze oak leaf cluster.
Where does the Combat Action Ribbon go?
The Combat Action Ribbon closes out the personal decorations category. It follows the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and comes before all unit awards.
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To every service member, veteran, and retiree, thank you for your service. Your ribbons tell a story worth wearing proudly.
Thanks for the guide, I was looking to order for my father. Really helpful.