The Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy in February 1989. The first issuance of the award was made on June 1 of that same year with the award retroactive to July 1, 1973.
To be awarded the Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon, a service member must be assigned to one of the United States Navy’s Major Recruiting Commands and must complete a standard three-year tour of duty. Award of the Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon is open to all branches of the Navy, including reservists on active duty for special work (ADSW) programs.
All those qualifying for the Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon must receive a recommendation from their Commanding officer before the ribbon is presented. Additional awards of the Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon are denoted by service stars. Bronze numerals, placed near the right edge of the ribbon, are used to denote the number of Gold Wreath awards earned for superior productivity.