The West Virginia Emergency Service Ribbon (WVESR) has a band of yellow in its center that’s flanked by equal bands of blue, which in turn are flanked by equal bands of white with blue borders of the same width as the interior blue bands. It was established by the Adjutant General of the state of West Virginia and promulgated with West Virginia Permanent Order Number 5 issued on 15 October 1990.
There are three basic components to eligibility for the WVESR. The first and most limiting is that its award is limited to members of the West Virginia National Guard (WVNG) who have served in active military service “upholding the law and preserving order, protecting lives and property, in the aid and relief of citizens in disaster, or other similar service, duly ordered by the Governor, or who shall honorably serve for thirty days in the armed forces [sic] of the United States as a member of the National Guard of this State called or ordered to service therein by the President of the United States.”
Second, WVNG members who meet that qualification must be recommended for the WVESR by West Virginia National Guard Awards Board. Lastly, the Board’s recommendation must be approved by The Adjutant General of West Virginia.