Navy E Ribbon

Navy "E" Ribbon
Navy E Ribbon, from top to bottom first through fourth and final awards.
Eligibility	Military Unit
Awarded for	Battle efficiency competition, to members of ships, squadrons or units.
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
First awarded	1976
Last awarded	Ongoing
Precedence
Next (higher)	Meritorious Unit Commendations Coast Guard - Meritorious Team Commendation
Equivalent	Army - Superior Unit Award Air Force - Outstanding Unit Award Coast Guard - Coast Guard "E" Ribbon
Next (lower)	Prisoner of War Medal

The Battle Efficiency Ribbon, Navy "E" Ribbon, or (informally) the Battle "E" ribbon was established in July 1976 by Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf. The Navy "E" Ribbon denotes permanent duty on U.S. Navy ships, aviation squadrons, or units (including construction battalions) that have won a battle efficiency competition (Battle "E") after July 1, 1974. This ribbon replaces the "E" patch previously sewn on the right sleeve of the enlisted naval uniform for pay grades E-1 through E-6. United States Marine Corps personnel assigned as ship's company are eligible; embarked personnel are not.

The Navy "E" is one of the Naval service awards that does not have a corresponding medal, meaning that when in full dress (when medals are worn), the Navy "E" is placed above the right breast pocket of the uniform instead of the left. However, when in standard uniform (no medals are worn), the ribbon is placed above the left breast pocket, along with all other citations and awards.

The Navy "E" Ribbon was designed by AZ3 Cynthia L. Crider in 1973. It took 3 years to have her design and recommendation be approved by the Secretary of the Navy and the ribbon created by the Department of the Army, which has the final approval for the design and colors of all ribbons and medals in the U.S. armed forces. AZ3 Crider was stationed at Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 88 (VAW-88), a Naval Air Reserve E-2 Hawkeye squadron at NAS North Island, CA. Petty Officer Third Class Crider designed the ribbon after her squadron won the award for the second time in a row, but with the new uniform change would not be able to wear anything on their uniforms to show they had been awarded the Navy 'E' two consecutive times, back in 1973.

The "E" is also one of the few ribbons that is not an individual award. Instead, it is a unit award, issued to any U.S. serviceman or woman who is stationed as ship's company, aviation squadron complement, construction battalion complement, or other similarly-sized deployable/sea-going naval combat unit who is assigned to the unit when the award is earned.

The United States Coast Guard equivalent of the Navy "E" Ribbon is the Coast Guard "E" Ribbon.