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Funny and Odd Names for Medals

by Steve Balm••58

The website SOFREP published an article pointing out the humorous and odd names that common medals are given.

Military Awards And Some Of The Funny Names They Have Acquired

Receiving a military award or two is definitely something that a soldier should be proud of. That’s a fact. The honor of being awarded one, whichever it is, does not only outwardly display the highlights of a soldier’s career but also speaks of the selfless service that the person rendered for a greater cause.

Brief summary:

  • Purple Heart = The Enemy Marksmanship Badge
  • Special Warfare Insignia = “The Budweiser”
  • National Defense Service Medal = The “Fire Watch Ribbon”, Gedunk Medal, Pizza Stain
  • The Legion Of Merit = The ‘Blue Max of Baron’ German Fighter Aces

I’ve also heard the Purple Heart called the “Zigged When I Should Have Zagged” medal.

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58 thoughts on “Funny and Odd Names for Medals”

  1. Missed at least these two, Steve:

    Air Assault Badge – “Bullwinkle”
    Combat Jump Device (for Parachutist Wings): “mustard stain”

    1. When I joined not long after Desert Storm, I was told it was the CNN News Ribbon, because you only had to watch the war on tv to get it.

  5. I want to hereby issue a new directive: we will all wear the NDSM upside down when someone brings disrespect or shame upon The Brotherhood.

  6. Old name for Purple Heart “I forgot to Duck Medal”

    Good Conduct Medal – 4 years undetected Misconduct

    1st Lt/Lt j.g. – Perfect attendance award

    Captain/Lieutenant (O-3) 4 years Undocumented Misconduct

    Distinguished Serice medal – 6 months Field Grade VD free medal (stolen from WEB Griffin)

  7. Shorely glad I never was awarded the “I Forgot to Duck Medal”…Even gladder that they never sent one to my Mama.

    My most prized “Award” that I got from my Military Service was a piece of paper that has “Honorable” in one of the blocks.

  8. I always heard the Bronze Star referred to as “Field Grade Good Conduct Medal”. Seems like every Major-above got a Bronze star after a deployment…

    2. Only Majors and above? My second deployment, every E6 and above got one as a end of tour award.

  10. Joining USN, as a Kiddy Cruiser, The Good Conduct Medal was not issued but I’m happy to have received the NDSM and AFEM, and am also proud to be a member of the coveted brotherhood of the NDSM.

  11. Drill Sergeant ID Badge – “Pumpkin Badge”

    I’ve also heard the Tomb Guard ID Badge called a “Computer Badge”

  12. Most overseas service medals: “I was there” award
    Arcom – Green Weenie
    Good Conduct: Brown-nose award

    1. Most overseas service medals: “I was there” award

      Also heard same referred to as “been there badges”. Either works for me.

      I’ve also heard (and seen in print) an ARCOM awarded for heroism referred to as the “Green Weenie” by some who served in Vietnam.

  13. Snowcone – Jump Wings

    Bullwinkle Badge – Air Assault

    Army Service Ribbon – Gay Pride Ribbon, Welcome to the Army Ribbon

    Army Achievement Ribbon – 4 weeks sobriety ribbon

    EIB – Umbrella Badge (only if you have something under it to keep the rain off).

    If you have wings and AAB under the EIB, then they are collectively called the Tower of Power.)

    OSD Badge – Sham Badge

  14. If we extend to patches as well as medals I know a bunch.

    Soldiers who are in Airborne units (with an Airborne tab over thier Shoulder Sleeve Insignia [SSI]) who are also Ranger and Special Forces qualified have three arc-shaped tabs on their left shoulder, and this is called the “Triple Canopy.”

    The 25th ID patch is the “electric strawberry.”

    Special Forces patch is the “Electric Butterknife.”

    101st Airborne is “Choking Chickens”

    82nd Airborne Division “Alcoholics Anonymous”

    2nd Infantry Division “Texaco”

    8th Infantry Division “Ate Up”

    probably a few I missed.

      2. When I supported them (Hawaii), it was called The Electric Banana Leaf

    2. XVIII Airborne Corps patch: “Puking Dragon”
      1st COSCOM Patch: “Leaning Outhouse”

      I’ve also heard the 101st Airborne patch referred to as the “Screaming Chicken” (mid-1980s), but maybe that’s changed since. Same for the 2nd Inf Division patch; in the early/mid-1980s, both it and the 1st Cav patch were sometimes called a “horse blanket” due to their size.

      Don’t know which is “correct”, don’t care, and it really doesn’t matter anyway. (smile)

      2. And for the old ASAers, the ASA patch was known as the “lightning fast chicken f*cker”. Guess that dates me…

    7. I read on Wikipedia that the term “triple canopy” is also used for soldiers who are not only both Ranger and Special Forces qualified, but also have earned the Sapper tab, due to these three tabs being permanent.

      1. There are numerous tabs this day and age.

        Seems like evey school has one. Gotta make people “equal” by looking cool!

  15. I always enjoyed the Marines calling their Good Conduct Medal a ‘Good Cookie’.

    Ramble that goes nowhere: A number of times I got a-talking-to about my lack of campaign service stars while wearing the Iraq Campaign Medal (look THAT up). Since I had an Expeditionary on my ERB and the rules regarding the EM vs ICM where contradictory I declined to wear stars. I submitted a 4187 with orders to correct the covered time in country, but to no avail.

    So I stopped wearing the ICM.

    Apparently, among the pogs at USAREC this was akin to punching a baby in the face. Of course telling a SFC with no combat patch, ‘Look Sergeant, it’s my Medal and I’ll wear it if-and-when I want to’ earned me a meeting with the Smadge.

    OPM and Heraldry, their stupid 8-22 and abhorrent DAPAMs can EABOD/FOAD/SMFD.

    1. I had a similar experience with my Expeditionary Medal. They told me I could not wear campaign stars on my ACM (I went back a few times) or not wear my ICM if I wanted to still wear my EM. So I said fine, I won’t wear the ICM (I was only there for a year once). Was fine until I retired.
      Then they left it off on my DD214.

      1. Not sure which they left off your DD214 (GWOTEM or ICM), but depending on precise dates and circumstances that might have been correct per Army regs.

        As I recall, the ACM and ICM weren’t created until mid-2005. Implementing instructions came out a year or so later. So anyone who served in either Afghanistan or Iraq before sometime in 2006 (or maybe 2007) would have received the GWOTEM for a tour in either.

        After the implementing instructions for the ACM and ICM came out, the creation date for the ACM and ICM were established as the “cutoff” date. Those serving in Afghanistan or Iraq completely before that date remained eligible for the GWOTEM. However, per Army policy these early recipients of the GWOTEM for tours in Afghanistan or Iraq could – at their option – later “trade in” their GWOTEM for the appropriate campaign medal. Those who served entirely after the creation date didn’t have a choice; they received the ACM or ICM. (continued)

      2. (Part II) My recollection is that someone whose tour was split by the creation date for the ACM and ICM such that they had 30+ days of service before AND after that date could elect either the appropriate campaign medal or the GWOTEM – but not both.

        Bottom line: depending on precisely when you served in Iraq and whether you ever formally requested to receive the ICM in lieu of a previously-issued GWOTEM, leaving the ICM off your DD214 may be legit. Ditto omitting the GWOTEM from your DD214 if you opted to “turn in” the GWOTEM to receive the ICM instead (or opted to receive the ICM in lieu of the GWOTEM initially) if you had no later tour in-theater in a GWOTEM-only area.

        At least with the ACM/ICM/GWOTEM, the Army technically gave soldiers some options. Those who served in Vietnam prior to creation of the VSM and initially received the AFEM didn’t get that choice; they had to turn in their AFEMs and lost eligibility for same if they served a later tour in Vietnam.

  16. There is also the KMA Purple Heart medal. This is the one that a person brags about having but it is not pinned to their chest. “I earned a Purple Heart but I told them to Kiss My Ass and keep it because we lost a lot of good men out there.”

    The KMA Purple Heart is unique because it is invisible. There is no citation to go with it – just a story.

  19. The Army Pathfinder Badge = Olympic Torch Carrier Badge
    Combat Diver Badge = Space Shuttle Door Gunner Badge
    Army Senior Parachutist Badge = Quit while I was ahead
    EIB with a CAB = No Longer Infantry Badge
    Army Master Parachutist Badge = Master Blaster
    Army Air Assault Badge = Dope on a Rope

  20. In unit patches, the 199th Inf Bde (Lt) (Sep) was called the Redcatcher by non-wearers and the Flaming Asshole by those of us who wore it.

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