The Navy "E" Ribbon or Battle Efficiency Ribbon (informally the Battle "E" ribbon) was authorized on March 31, 1976, by
Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf as a unit award for battle efficiency competition. The
service ribbon
A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...
replaced the "E" patch previously sewn on the right sleeve of the enlisted naval
uniform
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, ...
for rates/pay grades E-1 through E-6.
History
The Navy "E" Ribbon was designed by AZ3 Cynthia L. Crider in 1973. Her design and recommendation were approved by the Secretary of the Navy after 3 years, and the ribbon was subsequently created by the Department of the Army, which has the final approval for the design and colors of all ribbons and medals in the U.S. military. Serving with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 88 (VAW-88), a Naval Air Reserve
E-2 Hawkeye squadron at
NAS North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (N ...
, CA, Petty Officer Crider designed the ribbon after her squadron won the “E” award for the second time in a row, but with the new uniform change could not wear anything on their uniforms to show they had been awarded the Navy 'E' two consecutive times.
Award criteria
The Navy "E" Ribbon denotes the wearer was on permanent duty aboard a
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
ship or in a unit that won a
battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
members assigned as ship's company are eligible on the same basis as Navy personnel; Marine Corps (and other sister-Service) personnel assigned to embarked units, such as aircraft squadrons, battalion landing teams, and Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) are not eligible to wear the ribbon.
The Navy "E" Ribbon does not have a corresponding medal, meaning that when in full dress uniform (when medals are worn), the ribbon is placed above the right breast pocket of the uniform instead of the left. However, when in standard uniform (no medals are worn), the ribbon is placed above the left breast pocket, along with all other citations and awards.
The
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
's equivalent of the Navy "E" Ribbon is the
Coast Guard "E" Ribbon.
Navy "E" device
The first, second, and third award of the Navy "E" (Battle "E") are denoted by a silver inch letter "E" device on the Navy "E" Ribbon for each award. When a sailor or Marine receives a fourth Navy "E" award, a silver wreathed letter "E" replaces the three "E" devices on the ribbon. The wreathed "E" effectively "closes out" the award ribbon — no further "E" devices are authorized for display to denote five or more awards of the Navy "E". Multiple "E" ribbon attachments are placed in a symmetrical, horizontal line in the center of the ribbon.
[See ''Uniform Regulations'', Ch. 5]
Section 3
Article 5319-13: Navy "E".
See also
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Awards and decorations of the United States military
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Army-Navy ‘E’ Award
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Battle Effectiveness Award
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Marksmanship Device
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United States military award devices
Notes
References
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{{US navy department decorations
Awards and decorations of the United States Navy
Awards established in 1976
Military ribbons of the United States