The Restricted Duty Ribbon is a decoration of the United States Coast Guard which was first created on March 3, 1984. The award recognizes those Coast Guard personnel who have completed a permanent tour of duty at specific shore units where accompanying dependents are not authorized.
Where a service member is assigned without his or her dependent family members, the duty status is known as "unaccompanied." Standard unaccompanied duty tours are normally one to two years in length and occur in remote duty locations such as Greenland and the Arctic, and in combat areas. The Restricted Duty Ribbon is awarded at the conclusion of the unaccompanied tour.
In the case of overseas restricted duty stations, personnel who are eligible to receive the Restricted Duty Ribbon are not eligible to receive the Coast Guard Overseas Service Ribbon for the same period.
The Coast Guard is the only branch of the United States armed forces to award a decoration for the completion of unaccompanied duty tours. Additional awards of the Restricted Duty Ribbon are denoted by bronze and silver service stars.
Famous quotes containing the words restricted, duty and/or ribbon:
“Growing up means letting go of the dearest megalomaniacal dreams of our childhood. Growing up means knowing they can’t be fulfilled. Growing up means gaining the wisdom and skills to get what we want within the limitations imposed by reality—a reality which consists of diminished powers, restricted freedoms and, with the people we love, imperfect connections.”
—Judith Viorst (20th century)
“I am speaking now of the highest duty we owe our friends, the noblest, the most sacred—that of keeping their own nobleness, goodness, pure and incorrupt.... If we let our friend become cold and selfish and exacting without a remonstrance, we are no true lover, no true friend.”
—Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896)
“For this your mother sweated in the cold,
For this you bled upon the bitter tree:
A yard of tinsel ribbon bought and sold;
A paper wreath; a day at home for me.”
—Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950)