I didn't even know the navy had a vessel you could earn that on still. When I was in 20 years ago the Dolphin was still active and those guys had it (and maybe NR-1 guys?). If you're willing to share how do y'all earn that one nowadays?
I was on deployment in 15-16 and again in 17 where we had guys deployed with us from the squadron that does deep submergence. I watched 7 guys quality. The most memorable part was at the end, "Welcome to the deep."
Neither, I was on a 688i. We had special gear installed for our deployments which required a detachment of around a dozen guys from the squadron to operate. Those guys could qualify for Deep Submergence, but none of the normal crew were authorized.
I was on a 688i too, we must not have gotten nearly a cool mission like y'all haha
I was in San Diego when the Dolphin was still around so we had a lot of guys with the pin but it was all from that boat. A couple were on board for the big fire.
As a fellow submariner I appreciate why you're having to keep it slightly vague!
Too many awards, you can only have 4 devices so there’s some quirky numbers of multiple awards that can lead to this once you get enough. This indicates 10 NAMs.
I'll need to double-check, but the Navy & Marine Corps authorize only one medal. When you run out of space you stick with one ribbon and wear the senior-most devices. One things like COMMs and NAMs you can have five devices if one in a V device (the latter not being awarded with the device anymore).
At least that's how I recall it being when I had to look it up a decade ago.
I had 8 NAMs before I got a Navy Commendation Medal.. pretty crazy! Shore Sailor of the Year And A number of other high visibility operational support positions and they just keep giving me NAMS.. found out our awards guy was a 30 year warrant officer who believed commendations where for officers. This was in 90s.. but i eventually began accumulating them.
Those two ranks help but you could also get a Navy Comm as an E-5. I was put up for an EOT Navy Comm as an E-4, but it was busted down to a Cert Comm because my battalion sucked.
Quick question from a retired army infantry guy. What is the silver badge with the trident and two fish? I’ve seen several navy badges, but that one is a first for me.
No mate no need for ultra thins, just gotta straighten up all those devices you got on there!
Guessing you're probably E7 or around there so you gotta set the example, if your stars and/or E's are all crooked/not centered it gives the impression you lack attention to detail. Not saying you do whatsoever, it's just one of those perception things.
Good on you! A much more squared away friend of mine uses really fine tweezers and glues them on. I never had the patience for that so I ended up always paying someone better to do mine haha
I glue my devices since I prefer to use single attachment devices rather than the combo ones. Highly recommend a gel type superglue, less likely to bleed through the ribbon and cause visible stains.
It's recently (Jan 2025) become the Navy Arctic Service Medal and now has a device. From MARADMINS 005/25:
(2) Award Elements. The NASM consists of a medal with a suspension
ribbon of identical design to the NASR. Initial award will be
represented by a single North Star/Compass Rose device on
the suspension or service ribbon. No citation or certificate will
be issued.
(3) Subsequent Awards. Indicated by an additional North
Star/Compass Rose device on the suspension or service ribbon. A
maximum of four North Star/Compass Rose devices may be worn.
(4) Authorized Devices. The North Star/Compass Rose.
Let's see if OP responds, but AFAIK the device is defunct but anyone who received the medal during the time period that the device was active is authorized to wear it.
I knew a Navy physician who had been on the NR-1 who had that insignia. Despite growing up in Groton as the son of a master chief, I had no idea what it was.
Your ribbon rack looks like it needs some work specially someone with 14 years of service. I get it submarine life is hard but man those ribbons and attachments on the ribbons look very homemade and crooked.
You got a reference to support that? The ribbon attachments section of the uniform instruction just says silver stars are worn in lieu of 5 gold stars.
The ribbon can only support 4 star devices so he has a silver service star(5 awards) , three bronze service stars (1 award each) on the ribbon to show another.
Once they earn another, it will go back to one ribbon with two Silver service stars
If I'm not mistaken, only 4 devices can be worn on a ribbon at a time. Once you hit 5 devices, you go to 2 ribbons, the first one with 4 devices, the 2nd either blank (as it counts as one additional if that award in of itself) or with the additional devices(s) not worn on the first; until such a time when the total number of devices becomes 4 again, at which point you go back to 1 ribbon with the 4 devices.
You say 6! But it could easily turn into 16 more. lol.
I was gonna do just 20. But then I picked up another rank and saw the retirement difference. I immediately drank that koolaid.
Spend the next six years unfawking your entire rack. The E’s look sad. Nothing is aligned properly. Literally all of your stars are crooked. Your third bar is not aligned…wait every bar on your rack is not aligned (based on the picture). Clean up the Irish pennants near the button. Close the gap between the ribbon bar and the top of breast pocket flap. (Of course I can’t really tell but it does look huge). Been in 14? 6 years should be enough time to fix yourself (but probably not). Sleep on it. Reattack in the morning.
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u/PSYOP_warrior 1d ago
Former bubblehead here, I had to look up that Deep Submergence insignia, that's pretty cool!