• Military organizations around the world decorate their service members with different medals for major accomplishments. While some service members in some countries wear the actual medals, others like members of the United States Military, have ribbons that represent each earned medal. There are many medals that can be earned in each branch of the U.S. Military but there are several high-profile, specialty medals that span all branches.
  
  

Medal of Honor Ribbon

• The Medal of Honor is known as the highest decoration given by the United States government to US Military personnel. While the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines and Air Force each have their own distinct version of the medal, the ribbon used is universal. The ribbon is sky blue with five white stars that symbolize the five branches of the United States military: Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.
  
  

Purple Heart Ribbon

• The Purple Heart, known unofficially amongst servicemembers as the "Enemy Marksmanship Badge", is the oldest decoration still being issued in the United States military. The ribbon that comes with the medal and worn on military dress uniforms is purple with white lines on the far left and far right sides. Should a service member receive more than one purple heart, a small star will be placed on the ribbon, with another to follow if a third ribbon is awarded for the soldier.
  
  For the United States Army, the star is replaced with what is referred to as an "oak leaf cluster".
  
  

National Defense Service Ribbon

• The National Defense Service Medal and Ribbon is considered a "blanket campaign award" that reaches across all military branches and is awarded to all personnel who serve during a time of national emergency or war. A yellow stripe runs down the center of the ribbon followed by a small red stripe, small white stripe, small blue stripe, small white stripe and large red area. This pattern is repeated on both sides.
  
  The ribbon was first established by President Eisenhower in 1953 and has been awarded to servicemen and women who have served in the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War and Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.