Criteria: Awarded to any member of the U.S. Army (including Reserve and National Guard components) who have completed initial entry training - defined as any training or instruction course completed immediately upon entry into the United States Army. Qualifying instruction courses include basic training, Army ROTC, and Officer Candidate School. For those service members who successfully completed initial entry training prior to 1981 (the award’s inception date), the Army Service Thin Ribbon is retroactively awarded, provided the service member was still on active duty after 1981. For those service members having enlisted in the Army after serving with another service (and who may not have been required to complete initial entry training) the Army Service Thin Ribbon is awarded after four months of active service. The Army Service Thin Ribbon is presented as a one-time award only and there are no devices authorized for additional awards of the decoration.

Note: This service ribbon is one of the few awards issued by the military as a ribbon only. There is no accompanying medal.