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  • Once you leave military service, the military does not forget you, and your accomplishments live on. According to the resources at Military.com, veterans and retirees from the army are allowed to wear their medals on civilian clothing at gatherings with a military theme or on important military holidays such as Veterans Day. Like wearing the military uniform, there are regulations regarding how to wear these medals on civilian clothing to maintain proper dignity and honor.

    Placement

    Army medals are placed on civilian clothing in much the same place that they are worn on the regulation uniforms. Medals are always worn on the left side of the coat or dress shirt of civilian clothing. If there is a pocket on the shirt or on the coat, the medals should be worn just above the pocket; if the medals require more than one row, the last row will be placed just above the pocket, with the other rows above. On regulation uniforms, soldiers are required to leave 1/8 inch of space between rows; keep to this rule as much as possible with the medals on civilian clothing as well. The number of medals in each row will vary depending, on the size of the coat the veteran or retiree wears; remember, though, that the second row and each row to follow should not have more medals than the ones below. For instance, if the first row has three medals and the second row has four, the rows below the second may not have fewer than four medals.

    Medal Sizes

    Medals are awarded to soldiers in both full-size and miniature. In regulation wear, full-sized medals are worn on formal dress uniforms, and miniature medals are worn on mess uniforms and civilian dress while the soldier is still in the service. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans and retirees can decide to wear either the full-sized or the miniature medals on their civilian clothing. The medals are worn in the same place regardless of their size. The Medal of Honor is the only military service award that does not have a miniature version. In official service, this medal is always worn around the soldier's neck, with the ribbon outside the shirt collar but inside the coat collar of the dress uniforms. Wear this medal the same way on civilian clothing.

    Precedence

    Both miniature and full-sized medals are always worn in order of precedence, from the wearer's right to left. Therefore, the medal with the highest precedence is placed closest to the center of the shirt on the top row, with the next highest placed directly next to it, and so on through the row. If you need two or more rows to display your medals, finish the top row and place the medal of next highest precedence on the right end of the second row.

    Source:

    VA.gov: United States Department of Veterans Affairs

    Military.com: Wearing Medals, Awards and Decorations

    Army.mil: Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia

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