Ribbon for Defense Distinguished Service worn by General Colin L. Powell
date: label: Date
content: 1981-1993
name: label: Issued by
content: United States Department of Defense
label: Worn by
content: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
label: Subject of
content: United States Army, American, founded 1775
label: Subject of
content: United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775
notes: label: Caption
content: Colin Powell was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal four times between 1981 and 1993 for exceptionally meritorious service contributing to the national security or defense of the United States while serving with the Department of Defense. Beyond the first award, each subsequent award of this medal is denoted by an oak leaf cluster. The two oak leaf clusters on this ribbon bar indicate that this was Powell's third award, which he received in 1989.
label: Description
content: One (1) Defense Distinguished Service ribbon with two (2) Oak Leaf clusters worn by General Colin L. Powell, earned for his non-combat related military service. The Defense Distinguished Service Award is the United States Department of Defense's highest award and the highest joint service decoration, awarded only while assigned to a joint activity. This square metal and cloth ribbon (also called service ribbon or ribbon bar) features three (3) striped colors in the following order: light blue, yellow, red, yellow, and light blue. The two bronze oak leaf clusters, uniquely designated for service members of the U.S. Army and Air Force, lay over the middle red and yellow stripes and indicate additional awards of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal for General Powell. When worn on the Army Service uniform, it is attached at the proper left chest above the breast pocket.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1969-2001
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alma J. Powell
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: A2022.101.1.61
objectType: label: Type
content: insignias
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: polyester on brass (alloy)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 3/8 × 1 7/16 × 3/16 in. (1 × 3.7 × 0.5 cm)