Navy Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon

The Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR) is awarded to officers and enlisted personnel of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, along with their reserve components, as recognition for sustained overseas service. **1. History:** The OSR was authorized by SECNAV letter 1650 Ser NDBDM/886 on September 17, 1986, with effective service dating back to on or after August 15, 1974. The award recognizes sailors and Marines who fulfill their duty on overseas assignments, which include shore duty and designated overseas deployments. **2. Eligibility Criteria:** - The OSR requires a minimum of 12 months of cumulative service at an overseas duty station. This can be a continuous or non-continuous assignment, although the commanding officer may waive up to 14 days of this requirement for personnel whose tours were cut short through no fault of their own. - It is important to note that Hawaii and Puerto Rico do not qualify as overseas for the purposes of this award, and only specific duty stations in Alaska are eligible. - Navy personnel assigned to Marine Corps commands adhere to Marine Corps policy, and conversely, Marine Corps personnel assigned to Navy commands follow Navy policy regarding this ribbon. **3. Awarding Authority:** Commanding Officers (COs) of overseas units or ships homeported in overseas locations, who possess the authority to award the Navy Achievement Medal (NAM), may also award the OSR. It is the responsibility of these COs to ensure proper documentation of the award in the service records of eligible personnel. **4. Subsequent Awards:** Each subsequent award of the OSR is earned after an additional 12-month period of qualifying service and is denoted by a 3/16-inch bronze star on the ribbon. If five bronze stars are accumulated, they can be replaced with a silver star. **5. Award Elements:** The OSR consists solely of a ribbon, and no citation or certificate is issued upon awarding this ribbon. **6. Notable Receipts:** The OSR does not specifically mention prominent individual recipients nor does it maintain a record of notable receipts, as it is a service ribbon awarded to a broad swath of service members based on fulfilling set criteria. **7. Additional Information:** - The overseas service recognized by the OSR is distinct from other commendations, such as the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (SSDR). Personnel cannot claim overlap for the same period of service for these awards. - Eligibility rules differ between active duty and reserve personnel. For reserves, service of 30 consecutive days or 45 cumulative non-consecutive days counts towards eligibility. Overall, the Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon serves as an important recognition of the dedication and service of personnel who have spent extended time stationed or deployed outside of the continental United States.