Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award — Military Decorations

Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award Medal and Ribbon Design Images

The Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award comes with a unique service ribbon, which is worn on the recipient's uniform in situations where the full medal is not worn. If you have earned this decoration, you can wear the service ribbon on your ribbon rack.
Design of the Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award

The Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award is a golden badge with a target in the center, above the target will be inscribed "DISTINGUISHED" while below the target center will inscribe the category of weapon. A miniature golden rifle will be attached to awards ribbon.

What is the Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award Decoration?

In 1887, the United States Secretary of War authorized the first Distinguished Marksman Badge to recognize shooters who achieved distinguished level of marksmanship with the rifle. The U.S Coast Guard awards the Distinguished Marksman award when a personnel earns at least 30 leg points. Once the Coast Guardsmen reaches 30 leg points, the personnel achieves "distinguished status" and be awarded one of the distinguished marksmanship badges. Leg points accumulate throughout a competitor's lifetime until "distinguished status" is attained. In addition, leg points earned as a member of the U.S. armed forces will transfer toward "distinguished status" as a civilian. The Distinguished Marksman Badge are considered as the highest award of its category.

The United States military sorts decorations into categories called Classes and Types. The Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award medal is classified as a Marksmanship Award of the type Rifle Marksmanship Award.

How Do You Earn the Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award?

The Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award is given when a Coast Guardsman earns their 30 leg points. The Coast Guardsmen achieves "distinguished status".

Displaying the Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award

The Order of Precedence of the Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award is 130, and this precedence is used when placing the associated service ribbon on your uniform ribbon rack. You can see a full list of decorations in the order of precedence on the Decorations homepage.

The Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award is attached to the left chest of the military uniform.

Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award Associated Branches

Coast Guard

Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award Associated Branches

Coast Guard

Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award and the Stolen Valor Act

The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 is a federal law that makes it illegal for any person to falsely claim to be the recipient of certain military awards, "with the intention of obtaining money, property, or other tangible benefit by convincing another that he or she received the award".This decoration is covered by the Stolen Valor act. Fraudulently claiming to have received a Coast Guard Distinguished Marksman Award can result in punishment including a fine, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both


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