Campaign streamer Campaign streamer s are decorations attached to military flag s to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service . Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag , the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the name and date denoting participation in a particular battle , military campaign , or theater of war ; the ribbon ' s colors are chosen accordingly and frequently match an associated campaign medal or ribbon bar . They often are physical manifestations of battle honour s , though this does not mean all streamers are battle honours ( e . g . gala or parade streamers not connected to a battle ) . They should not be confused with a tassel , which is usually purely decorative in nature . The armed forces of Germany , the United States , the former Soviet Union and others have engaged in awarding streamers . Historically Prussia and Austria - Hungary have also used streamers in this manner . United States . The United States Army established campaign streamers in 1928 , the United States Marine Corps established campaign streamers in 1939 , the United States Air Force established campaign streamers in 1956 , the United States Coast Guard established campaign streamers in 1968 , and finally the United States Navy established campaign streamers in 1971 . These streamers are not just used on flags representing the entire service , but also on flags representing units of battalion size and up . Many of the practices relative to streamers and their display are similar among the services . There are , however , differences , particularly regarding the number of streamers and use of embroidered devices . The Army carries a separate streamer for each important action in all wars in which that service has participated , each embroidered with the name of the action commemorated . Currently , the Army allows 187 streamers , and the Air Force , employing the Army system , carries more than 60 . Unlike the Army - Air Force practice , the Marines and Navy use one ribbon for each war , campaign , or theater of operations . Specific actions or battles are highlighted by bronze and silver stars embroidered on the ribbon . The Marine Corps shows more than 40 streamers , the Navy 32 , and the Coast Guard uses 43 , unadorned by either stars or lettering . Stars on the Marines and Navy streamers follow the practice initiated during the World War II period for ribbons and medals — that is , a bronze service star for each action , and a silver star in lieu of five bronze stars . The Navy applies stars to appropriate ribbons throughout its history , whereas the Marine Corps uses stars to commemorate service starting from 1900 . The Navy ' s Presidential Unit Citation , Navy Unit Commendation , and Meritorious Unit Commendation streamers each carry a red number rather than stars , representing the number of times that the respective award has been conferred upon Navy units . Generally , streamers are long and wide . Where a medal has been awarded for a particular war or service , the coloring and design of the streamer are the same as the ribbon from which the medal is suspended . Conflicts and operations for which no medal was issued have ribbons specially designed for use as streamers . Images . Campaigns Additionally , units that have been awarded citation or decoration may carry the associated streamer . Foreign awards are last in precedence .