The Air Force Special Duty Ribbon was established on September 4, 2014. From that date on, it began to replace the issuance of two ribbons, the Air Force Basic Military Training Instructor Ribbon (AFBMTIR) and the Air Force Recruiter Ribbon (AFRR) and also provided a ribbon for Airmen serving in more than a plethora of other highly challenging and stressful duty assignments.
On 16 November 2020, the Secretary of the Air Force approved the renaming of the Air Force Special Duty Ribbon to the Developmental Special Duty Ribbon (DSDR).
The ribbon is authorized for members who are awarded a Department of the Air Force developmental special duty specialty code or a special duty identifier, and successfully completed the special duty assignment (includes consecutive assignments).
Many of the assignments recognized by the DSDR involve instruction or guidance, so the Airmen and Air Force officers chosen for these roles must display above-average interpersonal skills and the ability to impart knowledge—jobs that in addition to being demanding also entail a high degree of responsibility. Being successful in these types of assignment necessarily involves sacrifice and selfless commitment, and the DSDR is intended to recognize the effort put forth by those stepping up to ensure that present and future Airmen receive the education and guidance required to sustain the force well into the future.
You can view the eligible Special Duty Assignments and their corresponding Specialty Codes in
Section A14.14.1.2 of
Military Awards: Criteria And Procedures (Department Of The Air Force Manual 36-2806, or DAFMAN 36-2806) published in October 2022.
An Oak Leaf Cluster is awarded to denote the successful completion of an additional (or consecutive) tour on a Special Duty assignment.