Awards and decorations of the National Guard are presented to members of the National Guard and sometimes to members of the state defense forces in addition to regular United States military decorations.
Those National Guard soldiers and airmen who subsequently serve in the active or reserve federal forces of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or United States Air Force (i.e., as active duty or reserve members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard) may not continue to wear and display such decorations on a military uniform, unless such activation is under Title 32 status.
Active duty regulations allow federal soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines to accept but not to wear state awards.
The following is a list of National Guard decorations, as issued by each of the fifty United States; Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
The gold star is 3/16" in diameter and will be affixed to the ribbon of the medal.