Campaign ribbons and service badges

Awarded to:

a) all IDF personnel on active duty during at least 4 months between 1 February 1948 and 10 March 1949.
b) all IDF personnel who were killed during the War of Independence. In this case the ribbon is presented to the family of the soldier.
c) others who took part in fights of the War of Independence. Eligibility to the ribbon will be determined for every case.
d) those who were confined to a border settlement for a continuous period of 120 days between the dates as specified in a).
e) officials dealing with immigration and arms procurement between the dates as specified in a).

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, widower, parent, brother, sister, child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1951. In 1955 the ribbon was also awarded to any town, village or settlement that during the period between 1 February 1948 and 10 March 1949 was subject to enemy ground attacks or was cut off for at least a month. In this case the ribbon was connected to a standard.

 Click here for the list of towns and villages entitled to the ribbon. See also Clasps on this ribbon.
Look here for the award document.
There was a never realized proposal to add a medal to this ribbon.

Sinai Campaign Ribbon

In 1958 the minister of Defense decided to extend the eligibility to personnel of police, security forces and military industry. In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, widower, parent, brother, sister, child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1957. Look here for a sample of an award certificate and pictures of soldiers wearing this ribbon

Awarded to:

a) all IDF personnel on active duty during at least 24 hours between 5 June 1967 and 11 June 1967.
b) all IDF personnel who were killed or wounded during this war or were killed between 18 May 1967 and 5 June 1967.
c) adult civilians serving at IDF between 1 April 1967 and 11 June 1967.
d) civilians volunteering as drivers of mobilized vehicles, as well as reserve soldiers who volunteered to serve in an active IDF unit.
e) civilian security personnel, including the armament industry, officials dealing with state of emergency arrangements and others who took part in the activities, as decided by the government, who worked continuously from 15 May 1967 till 12 June 1967.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, widower, parent, brother, sister, child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1967. See pictures of the ceremony Look here for a sample of an award certificate.

Awarded to:

a) IDF personnel on active duty during at least 30 continuous days between June 11, 1967 and August 8, 1970.
b) IDF reserve soldiers who served a total of at least 30 days within the period as in a).
c) soldiers who were killed, wounded or missed in action during this war.
d) civilians, who provided direct assistance to the battlefront or home front units during at least 30 continuous days in the period as in a), specifically:
- civilian personnel (not including volunteering minors) of IDF and the Ministry of Defense
- Israel Military Industries (IMI), the Armament Development Authority (Rafael) and Israel Aircraft Industry
-personnel of the General Security Service and Mossad
- the army department store Shekem and employees and volunteers of the Committee for the Benefit of the Soldier
- employees dealing with state of emergency arrangements
- drivers of transport companies, drivers who were drafted to the army together with their trucks or who voluntarily did so.
- exempts from military service and who volunteered to active service.
d) others not belonging to the above groups and who provided direct assistance to the battle front units, during at least 30 continuous days as in a), after presenting relevant documents and approval of the Ministry of Defense.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, widower, parent, brother, sister, child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started May 7, 2003
According to IDF publications, the number of active IDF personnel entitled to this ribbon is 93, including 8 generals. The number of soldiers who are no longer on active duty and are entitled to this ribbon is 2562. Look here for the award document.

Yom Kippur War Ribbon 

Awarded to:

a) all IDF personnel on active duty during at least 3 continuous days between 6 October 1973 and 24 October 1973.
b) all IDF personnel who served between the above dates, but less than 3 days, if this service was ended because of illness, injury or death as a result of this service or who were missed in action and have not been recovered since.
c) soldiers who, after 24 October 1973 and before the day of signature on the agreement of separation of forces (at the northern front 18 January 1974, at the southern front 31 May 1974) were injured, got ill, their illness deteriorated, were killed or missed in action during and as a result of service.
d) civilian security personnel, including the armament industry, officials dealing with state of emergency arrangements and employees of state companies who took part in the activities, as required by law, who served at least 18 continuous days during the period defined as in a).
e) civilians, who provided direct assistance to the front units during at least 18 continuous days in the period defined as in a).
f) civilians as described in d) and e) in case where his or her work was interrupted by injury or death during and as a result of service in the period defined as in a) or after 24 October 1973 and before the day of signature on the agreement of separation of forces (at the northern front 18 January 1974, at the southern front 31 May 1974), even if no 18 continuous days of work or service were fulfilled.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, widower, parent, brother, sister, child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1974. Look here for the award document.

Awarded to:

a) all IDF personnel on active duty during at least 3 continuous days between 5 June 1982 and 29 September 1982.
b) any IDF soldier who served between the above dates, less than 3 days, but was missed in action and has not been recovered since, who was killed, taken prisoner of war, was injured, got ill or his illness deteriorated, during and as a result of his service.
c) soldiers who were killed in combat, was missed in action, taken prisoner in Lebanon after 29 September 1982 and as long as IDF forces are deployed in this area.
d) personnel serving in Lebanon after 29 September 1982 and the Chief of Staff or head of Personnel department or their representatives decide that there exist special grounds for awarding the ribbon.
e) civilian security personnel, including the armament industry, officials dealing with state of emergency arrangements, Magen David Adom first aid workers and employees of state companies who took part in the activities, as required by law, who served at least 21 continuous days during the period defined as in a).
f) civilians, who provided direct assistance to the front units during at least 21 continuous days in the period defined as in a).
g) civilians as described in d) and e) in case where his or her work was interrupted by injury or death during and as a result of service, even if no 21 continuous days of work or service were fulfilled.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, widower, parent, brother, sister, child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1983. Look here for the award document.

b) any IDF soldier who served between the above dates, less than 3 days, but was missed in action and has not been recovered since, who was killed, taken prisoner of war, was injured, got ill or his illness deteriorated, during and as a result of his service.

c) civilian security personnel like the police and prison service who served or worked voluntarily for at least 3 continuous days during the period defined as in a)

d) civilians, who provided assistance during at least 8 continuous days to the front units or the civilian population, in one of the following bodies:

- government offices except for the Ministry of Defense
- state companies and daughter companies
- fire brigades
- Magen David Adom first aid association
- local authorities and companies controlled by local authorities
- Chesed shel Emet - body recovery association
- Hospitals
- Security officers in specified places
- Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers (Aguda lema'an haHail)
- other legal bodies
- national organizations like the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Jewish National Fund and their affiliated organizations.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, widower, parent, brother, sister, child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started on September 2, when the ribbon was awarded to those who also earned a decoration for acts during this war. From October 2007 till March 2008 the ribbon will be presented or sent by mail to others entitled. This ribbon is made in enamel version only!

Some variations - this campaign ribbon together with citation of:

Chief of Staff
Officer Commanding Territorial Command
Divisional Commander

Look here for pictures of the presentation of the ribbon and pictures of soldiers wearing the ribbon. Look here for the award document.

The ribbon will be the eighth since the state was founded. The ribbon will also be given to members of the Shin Bet, Mossad, Israel Police, and Israel Prisons Service. Members of the Gaza border communities and kibbutz security officers, Magen David Adom paramedics, firefighters and civilians working for the IDF on behalf of the government in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will also be eligible for campaign ribbons pending a vote in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The other organizations whose activities were related to the operation will receive commendations as a group, which also requires the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee's approval.

The ribbon's design will feature blue and white stripes, to symbolize Israel's flag; the color red, for the blood of those who fell and or were wounded; orange to represent Israel's home front, and light brown to represent southern Israel. The ribbon will be handed at out for the first time during the IDF's medals ceremony in February.

According to IDF announcement of 1/7/2015 the ribbon will be awarded to:

a) IDF personnel on active duty during at least 5 continuous days between 7 July and 26 August 2014
b) IDF reserve soldiers who served a total of at least 5 days within the period as in a).

Decoration of State Warriors
(clasp mounted on War of Independence Ribbon)

 
A small nickel clasp, in the form of a biblical candle, mounted on the War of Independence Ribbon. For details an award criteria, see this decoration for civilian wear. The size of the clasp: height 10 mm, width about 12 mm.

This is one of the clasps that was fixed on the War of Independence Ribbon. More on these clasps.

awarded to:

a) those who served in a combat unit for a period of at least 18 months.

b) those who served at least 4 consecutive months in combat.

Officially worn on the right uniform chest pocket, but often seen on the left side, below the ribbons.

The badge is made of nickel, height 22 mm, width about 15 mm.

Samples