Military Awards and Decorations

Glenn B. Knight's
Military Decorations and Awards

Click on the ribbon for a description

View my medal set
View my wife's medal set
View my father's medal set
View our daughter's medal set

While a Marine I also qualified as a Rifle Sharpshooter . When I left the Marines I was a Sergeant and my wife, Beverly, was a Corporal . When I retired from the Air Force I was a Master Sergeant , but since then they have changed the rank insignia . Beverly spent about ten years in the Air Force Reserve and earned the rank of Technical Sergeant . Our daughter Marianne L. Knight was a Sergeant of Marines and qualified as a Rifle Marksman and a Sharpshooter with the 9 mm pistol.

In twenty years of military service--16 in the Air Force and 4 in the Marine Corps--I earned a number of medals and awards. This is what my collection of ribbons looks like:

Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded August 16, 1982 for service in Turkey from May 7, 1979 until May 6, 1981. During this tour of duty I served as Non-commissioned Officer in Charge of the Public Affairs Office of TUSLOG Detachment 10 (39th Tactical Wing), at Incirlik Common Defense Installation, near Adana, Turkey. My communications skills were challenged by two nationwide census, a nationwide labor strike, rampant terrorism, a major flood, an aircraft accident with the loss of 18 lives and the military overthrow of the Turkish civil government.

Combat Action Ribbon
Awarded for my service with Battalion Landing Team 3/6 and Regimental Landing Team 6 in the Dominican Republic in 1965. It is presented to personnel of the Naval establishment who engage in actual combat with an enemy.

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
This award is given to units who are recognized for a specific event or for a specific period by the Secretary of the Air Force. The ribbon is awarded to all members of the unit during the period for which the unit was cited and by everyone while assigned to the unit. At some point in my 16 year Air Force career I was a member of a unit which received the award while I was assigned to it. I can't remember which one it was.

Navy Unit Commendation
Presented to Regimental Landing Team 6 for its service in the Dominican Republic in 1965. I was a lance corporal serving as the Unit Public Relations Representative for BLT 3/6 when it was upgraded to RLT 6.

Air Force Good Conduct Medal
Awarded to enlisted members for three years of good conduct, I received five awards prior to retirement. The basic ribbon and medal had four oak leaf clusters attached to it to represent all five awards.

Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
Marines jokingly refer to this as the award for three years of undetected crime. Actually, I received the award despite two Navy captain's masts and three Article 15s--the non-judicial punnishment authorized under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. I had a problem getting back from liberty on time and I tended not to tolerate idiots well--even when they were commissioned gentlemen (second lieutenants).

Air Force Recognition Ribbon
This ribbon was awarded in 1980 for receiving a Thomas Jefferson Award recognizing the Incirlik Looking Glass as one of the most outstanding newspapers in the Department of Defense.

National Defense Service Medal
We referred to this medal as the "Fire Watch" ribbon because it was, for a time, given to everyone who served in the military. One common bond among all Marines is that at some time during Boot Camp we all served as "fire watch"--thus the name.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
For service with the Marines in the Dominican Republic. This is the medal which qualified me for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon
The ribbon is given for exactly what the name implies. This is for my service in Turkey for 1979 until 1981.

Humanitarian Service Medal
"Operation Snow Blow II" was a humanitarian mission to provide equipment and assistance to the New England states following a blizard which virtually shut down most of seven states. Aircraft from the 63rd Military Airlift Wing at Norton Air Force Base were used to pick up equipment in Texas and transport it to Hartford, Connecticut. I escorted media and served as Military Airlift Command media representative in Hartford.

Professional Military Education Ribbon
Given to graduates of Air Force Non-commissioned Officer Academies. I attended the NCO Academy at Bolling AFB, DC and completed the course of instruction as an honor graduate.

Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon
All of the other services use service stripes on their uniforms (hash marks) to represent total service. In 20 years I received 5 awards which were represented by the basic ribbon and four oak leaf clusters.

Air Force Small Arms Marksmanship Award
As a Marine I qualified as a sharpshooter with the M-14 rifle. As an airman I qualified expert with the M-16 and was awarded this ribbon.