Various unit citation ribbons are worn with gold frames by members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and United States Public Health Service. Which ribbons are worn with a gold frame or border vary from service to service. The Marine Corps Uniform Regulations (MCO P1020.34G), for instance, specifies that a “gold frame is worn on ribbon bars for foreign unit awards, while AFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel states vaguely that the “gold border/frame is a device for ribbon awards only” without specifying which ribbons were to be worn with the gold frame. (The exception to this is the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon; regulations specifically state that the gold border can only be worn with the ribbon it the Airman had engaged in conducting or supporting combat operations in a designated combat zone.)
Two unit citations that always require a gold frame are the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions with Palm.
Please note that the Army’s service ribbons are larger than those used by other branches of the Armed Forces. Be sure to select the “Large” option from the drop-down selector if you are purchasing a frame for an Army ribbon.