The short answer
Military medals and ribbons are worn in a fixed order of precedence set by regulation. In the US Army, the Medal of Honor comes first, followed by the service crosses and then the Silver Star. Other services and countries have their own orders, so check the rules that apply to the award in question.
Why there is an order
Precedence sets the sequence in which awards are worn, so the most important awards come first. It applies to the uniform, and collectors use the same sequence when they arrange a group for display.
The US Army order at the top
The Army’s order of wear for ribbons begins with these awards:
- Medal of Honor
- Distinguished Service Cross
- Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Army Distinguished Service Medal
- Silver Star
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Soldier’s Medal
- Bronze Star Medal
- Purple Heart
The order then continues with the meritorious and commendation awards, followed by the achievement awards, and then the campaign and service ribbons. The full sequence is long, so check the current regulation for the awards below the Purple Heart.
Other services
The Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard have their own tables. Each places its own service cross in the top tier: the Navy Cross for the Navy and Marine Corps, the Air Force Cross for the Air Force, and the Coast Guard Cross for the Coast Guard. The order below the top tier also differs by service.
The British and Commonwealth order
In the British honours system, the Victoria Cross and George Cross come first. Orders and decorations come next, and campaign and service medals follow. Commonwealth countries often use lists based on the British system, with their own awards added.
Reading a group in order
If you are checking a group, compare its arrangement with the rules for the service that issued it. A group assembled by a family or dealer may not follow the original order, so a mismatch is not proof of a problem. Note any missing or misplaced award in your records, and check it against the service record.
Where to find the full list
For US Army awards, the uniform regulation is Army Regulation 670-1, which covers the order of wear and the appearance of uniforms and insignia. The same regulation sets the names of the Army’s uniforms. Other services have their own uniform regulations. Check the current version, because the order changes when awards are created or revised.