Navy medals without being in combat?

Question

Just curious if there were any medals in the Navy that you don't have to be in a hot zone to earn?

I take it there would be service medals to commemorate X years in service, but anything else? Are there any Navy medals that don't carry over to the Navy Reserves?

By don't carry over, I mean that you aren't eligible to earn if you are only in the Reserves and never went active?

Answer 1

Absolutely, in fact the ONLY NAVY medals that can ONLY be awarded for enemy action are the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart

Any Medal or Service award you earned on Active Duty carries over to the Reserves.

Non-Combat medals that I earned: Navy Commendation Medal (3), Navy Achievement Medal (4), Good Conduct Medal (3), Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asian Campaign Medal, Rifle (Expert), Pistol (Expert), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwaiti).

There are also numerous RIBBONS that have no medal such as: Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy "E" Ribbon (2), Sea-Service Ribbon (6), Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon.

Answer 2

Nothing fancy, just the basic service medals. As far as carry over to the reserves. The navy reserves are still the navy.

Answer 3

You can always earn medals without going to combat. Im not sure on specifics withing the Navy, but even in training you can earn awards and medals.

Answer 4

There are quite a few non-combat medals available in the Navy. Here is a link to show you some of them.

http://www.mediacen.navy.mil/pubs/allhands/jan01/ribbons.htm

Answer 5

good heavens yes. Overseas service ribbons, sea service ribbons, marksmanship, various meritorious ribbons at the command level and higher, NAMs. they all carry over to reserves.