Do National Guard awards differ from active-duty Army awards and how are they documented?
Executive summary
Federal (DA/DoD) awards apply across Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard but National Guard members also receive separate state/territory awards that are worn after federal decorations and which may not be authorized in all federal duty statuses; AR 670‑1/DA guidance and state lists govern precedence and wear [1] [2]. State procedures govern issuance and documentation for state awards; New York and Tennessee publish state-specific procedures requiring state regs and local orders to record awards [3] [4].
1. Two parallel award systems, two different authorities
The National Guard operates under both federal and state authorities, so Guardsmen can receive federal Army/DoD awards (the same medals and ribbons as active duty soldiers) and separate state or territorial awards created by governors or adjutants general; state decorations are maintained on state lists and vary by jurisdiction [1] [4].
2. Which awards are “the same” and which are unique to the Guard
Federal awards such as the Army Commendation Medal and national-level medals are awarded to Guard members under the same eligibility criteria as active‑duty soldiers [3]. By contrast, states issue their own medals and ribbons (for example unit citations, state service ribbons and fitness or achievement ribbons) that exist only within that state’s National Guard system [1] [4].
3. Rules for wearing awards: federal first, then state
Guidance cited by state and reference pages consistently places federal awards before state awards on the uniform; state and territorial awards are worn after federal and authorized foreign ribbons in order of precedence established by Army/guard policy [1] [4]. Some sources explicitly state that Guardsmen who later serve on active federal duty may not wear state decorations unless serving under certain Title 32 statuses [1].
4. Documentation and administrative records: mixed folders and separate orders
Federal awards are recorded in DA/Army personnel systems and Department of the Army orders, whereas state awards follow state issuance procedures and often require state-level documentation or memoranda per the state’s DMNA/regulation (example: New York DMNA procedures and Tennessee ribbon guidance) [3] [4]. Army Regulation 600‑8‑22 applies to the Regular Army and Army National Guard/ARNGUS for administrative policy, indicating where awards should be included in a soldier’s AMHRR (active military history and records) and which awards require publication in general orders [5].
5. Precedence and when state awards are not authorized on federal uniform
Sources note a clear rule: wear federal awards first, then state awards; some guidance adds that state/territory awards are not authorized to be worn when serving under certain federal statuses (10 USC/Title 10 active federal service), unless activation remains under Title 32 (state control with federal pay) [1] [2]. That distinction creates real practical differences between Guard service at the state level and Federal active‑duty service.
6. Variability between states — issuance and types of awards differ
Each state, territory and DC maintains its own list of National Guard decorations and issuance procedures; the lists include discontinued and re‑established ribbons and unique awards such as state medals of valor or mobilization service ribbons. The very existence and criteria for many awards depend on state law and adjutant‑general authority [1] [4].
7. Practical consequence for a soldier’s record and visibility
Federal awards are captured in DA records and published in Department of the Army General Orders when appropriate; state awards are recorded according to state procedures and may be entered into a soldier’s state personnel record and worn on the uniform while under authorized status, but their portability and appearance on federal records differ by policy and activation status [5] [3].
8. Competing perspectives and limitations in the available reporting
Available sources clearly document federal vs. state award distinctions and wear precedence [1] [4]. Sources from individual states (New York, Tennessee) show state rule specifics but do not provide a single, exhaustive list of every state’s procedures; therefore, for precise eligibility, issuance steps and documentation practices you must consult the specific state’s DMNA or adjutant general regulation — that level of detail is not found in the current reporting [3] [4].
9. Bottom line for Guardsmen and employers
Guardsmen can and do receive the same federal awards as active‑duty soldiers, plus state awards unique to their jurisdiction; federal awards take precedence in wear and recordkeeping, while state awards follow state procedures and may be restricted during federal active service — consult AR 600‑8‑22 and your state’s DMNA/regulation for the operative documentation process [5] [3].
Limitations: this analysis is drawn only from the supplied sources and state/regulatory specifics vary; the supplied material does not list every state award or every administrative form used to enter state awards into federal personnel systems — those details are not found in current reporting [1] [3].