The Recruiting Service Ribbon was established in 1989, but in 1997 the Secretary of the Navy issued an order giving it an retroactive effective date of 1 July 1973. Both Officers and Enlisted Sailors in the Navy and Navy Reserve, including Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW) personnel, assigned to various recruiting commands, offices, units, and activities are eligible for the award, including members of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron—the famed “Blue Angels”—and the Navy Parachute Team that’s been nicknamed the “Leap Frogs.”
It’s also awarded to Career Force Recruiters (CRF) and Canvasser Recruiters (CANREC) who’ve been recommended by their commanding officers after they’ve completed a successful recruiting tour of duty. Those serving as CRFs, Campus Liaison Officers, and on Recruiting District Assistance Councils are eligible for the Recruiting Service Ribbon after three consecutive years of recruiting duty; Reserve CANRECs and ADSW members become eligible after completing three years of cumulative recruiting duty if they’ve had no break in service longer than 60 days.
The end of a qualifying tour of duty is defined as the member’s projected date to rotate out of recruiting; those Navy personnel who log at least 18 months of recruiting duty but are transferred before the originally projected rotation date are eligible to submit a waiver request. Similarly, Navy Reserve personnel who have completed a minimum of two consecutive years of recruiting service and are recalled to the Navy or Full Time Support may also submit a waiver to the Commander, Navy Recruiting Command.