Gold frame explained

A gold frame is an attachment to a military decoration which is issued by the militaries of some countries. The gold frame is designed to enclose an award ribbon and is usually a means of distinguishing the ribbon's special quality or denoting some additional achievement to the award's basic criteria.

The gold frame is normally an automatic attachment to a ribbon decoration. In certain cases, however, awards may be issued both with and without the gold frame depending upon the level of achievement. Such is the case in the United States Air Force which denotes the gold frame as a "gold border". The Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon may be presented with a gold border when the decoration is presented for service in a designated combat zone.

The gold frame and gold border is a device for ribbon awards only, and there are no provisions for issuing the attachment for medals.

United States

Active duty

Presidential Unit Citation (Army & Air Force; Air Force version may be issued without gold border)
Presidential Unit Citation (Public Health Service; A gold frame indicates a second award)[1]
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award (Army)
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)
Superior Unit Award (Army)
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (Air Force; may be issued without gold border)
Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award (USCG; now obsolete)
DHS Outstanding Unit Award

National Guard and State Guard Forces

State Guard Association of the United States Superior Unit Citation
Military Emergency Management Specialist Academy Unit Citation
Alabama State Defense Force Outstanding Unit Commendation
Alaska Governors Distinguished Unit Citation
California Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation
California Commanding General's Meritorious Unit Citation
California State Military Reserve Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation
Delaware National Guard Governor's Meritorious Unit Award
Delaware National Guard Unit Strength Award
Florida Governor's Meritorious Unit Citation
Georgia Distinguished Unit Ribbon
Georgia State Defense Force Outstanding Unit Citation
Idaho Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation
Idaho Adjutant General's Excellence Award
Indiana Guard Reserve Superior Unit Citation
Iowa Outstanding Unit Award
Louisiana F.E. Herbert Meritorious Unit Commendation
Maryland Adjutant General's Special Recognition Ribbon
Massachusetts Meritorious Unit Citation
Mississippi State Guard Outstanding Unit Citation
Nevada Governor's Outstanding Unit Award
New Jersey Governor's Unit Award
New Jersey Unit Strength Award
New Mexico Outstanding Unit Citation
New York Guard Commander's Citation
North Carolina Governor's Unit Citation
North Carolina Meritorious Unit Citation
North Carolina Outstanding Unit Award
North Dakota State Outstanding Unit Citation
North Dakota Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation
Ohio Military Reserve Commanding General's Meritorious Unit Service Award
Oklahoma Governor's Distinguished Unit Award
Oklahoma Commander’s Trophy Award Ribbon
Oregon Superior Unit Ribbon
Pennsylvania Governor's Unit Citation
Rhode Island Gubernatorial Unit Award
South Carolina Governor's Unit Citation
South Carolina State Guard Outstanding Unit Citation
South Carolina State Guard Unit Achievement Award
South Dakota Desert Storm Unit Citation
South Dakota Unit Citation
South Dakota Distinguished Unit Award
Tennessee Meritorious Unit Citation
Tennessee Distinguished Unit Citation
Tennessee Outstanding Unit Performance Commendation
Tennessee Volunteer Recruiting and Retention Unit Citation
Texas Governor's Unit Citation
Texas Organizational Excellence Unit Award
Texas State Guard Meritorious Unit Award
Virginia Defense Force Unit Readiness Citation (Dead Eye)
Washington Unit Citation
West Virginia Distinguished Unit Award

Australia

Unit Citation for Gallantry
Meritorious Unit Citation

Vietnam

Presidential Unit Citation (Vietnam)
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (Vietnam)
Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation (Vietnam)

Other countries

Presidential Unit Citation (Korea)
Croix de Guerre unit award (Luxembourg)
Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines)

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: COMMISSIONED CORPS INSTRUCTION 511.01 . Commissioned Corps Issuance System (CCIS) . US Department of Health and Human Services . 6 April 2022 . 7 . English . 19 January 2021.