Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia

(9) Individuals may not wear more than one Gallantry Cross Unit Citation and one Civil Actions Unit Citation; this
precludes wear of the Vietnamese fourrageres, which represent additional unit awards.
29–12. Wear of appurtenances
Appurtenances are devices affixed to service or suspension ribbons, or worn in lieu of medals or ribbons. They are
worn to denote an additional award, participation in a specific event, or some other distinguishing characteristic of an
award. The following appurtenances are authorized for wear on decorations, medals, ribbons and other awards, when
authorized by appropriate authority. When more than one appurtenance is worn, soldiers will ensure all devices are
centered on the ribbon. (See AR 600–8–22 for additional information.)
a. Oak leaf clusters.
(1) A bronze twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on each stem is worn to denote award of second and
succeeding awards of decorations (other than the Air Medal), the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, and
unit awards. A silver oak leaf cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze oak leaf clusters. It is worn to the wearer’s right of
a bronze oak leaf cluster and to the left of the “V” device. Oak leaf clusters, 5/16 inch in length, are worn on service
ribbons, the suspension ribbon of miniature medals, and unit awards. Oak leaf clusters, 13/32 inch in length, are worn
on the suspension ribbon of full-size medals. Oak leaf clusters 5/16 inch in length, joined together in series of two,
three, and four clusters, are authorized for optional purchase and wear on service ribbons and unit award emblems.
Personnel wear oak leaf clusters centered on the service ribbon and suspension ribbon, with the stems of the leaves
pointing to the wearer’s right. If four oak leaf clusters are worn on the suspension ribbon on either full-size or
miniature medals, the fourth one is placed above the middle one in the row of three. No more than four oak leaf
clusters can be worn side-by-side on service ribbons.
(2) If the number of authorized oak leaf clusters exceeds four and will not fit on a single ribbon, a second ribbon is
authorized for wear. When the second ribbon is worn, it is placed after the first ribbon; the second ribbon counts as one
award. Personnel may wear no more than four oak leaf clusters on each ribbon. If the receipt of future awards reduces
the number of oak leaf clusters sufficiently (that is, a silver oak leaf for five awards), personnel will remove the second
ribbon and place the appropriate number of devices on a single ribbon.
b. “V” device. The “V” device is a bronze block letter, “V,” 1 ⁄4 inch high. It is worn to denote participation in acts
of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy. The “V” device is worn centered on the suspension ribbon and
service ribbon on the Air Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Joint Service Commendation
Medal. Not more than one “V” device is worn on a ribbon. When worn with an oak leaf cluster or numerals, the
“V” device is worn on the wearer’s right.
c. Numerals. Arabic numerals, 3/16 inch in height, are issued in lieu of a medal or ribbon for second and succeeding
awards of the Air Medal, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the
Multinational Force and Observers Medal, and with succeeding awards of the “M” device with the Armed Forces
Reserve Medal. The ribbon denotes the first award, and numerals starting with the numeral 2 denote second and
subsequent awards. The numeral worn on the NCO Professional Development Ribbon denotes the highest level of
NCO development, as follows:(ribbon=the primary course; 2=basic course; 3=advanced course; 4=U.S. Army sergeants
major academy course completion, or equivalent level training approved by HQDA.) The numerals are worn centered
on the suspension ribbon of the medal or the ribbon. (See para i, below, for placement of a numeral with the “M”
device.)
d. Clasps.
(1) The Good Conduct Medal clasp is worn on the service ribbon and suspension ribbon of the Good Conduct
Medal to denote second and subsequent awards. The clasp is worn centered on the Good Conduct Medal suspension
ribbon and service ribbon. The clasp of the full-size medal and service ribbon is a bar, 1 ⁄8 inch by 1 3 ⁄8 inches, made of
bronze, silver, or gold, with loops to indicate each period of service. The clasp for the miniature medal is 1/16 inch by
5 ⁄8 inch. (See table 29–2 for a description of the clasps authorized for second and subsequent awards. See chap 4, AR
600–8–22, for criteria for award of the Good Conduct Medal.)
(2) The Antarctic wintered-over clasp is a clasp, with the words “Wintered Over,” that is worn centered on the
suspension ribbon of the Antarctica service medal. A disk with an outline of the Antarctic Continent is worn on the
service ribbon. The clasp and disc are bronze for the first winter, gold for the second winter, and silver for three or
more winters.
(3) All other clasps are worn only on the suspension ribbon of the award and denote battle campaigns and service
campaigns; they are not worn on the service ribbon.
278 AR 670–1 3 February 2005