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A thorough analysis of medals, ribbons, and awards in Top Gun: Maverick

Have you ever wanted to know what medals The Dagger Squad and company wear in TGM? I did, and then I just kept reading and then I started a google doc and now I have a list I can share with all of you! (I feel like my brain might actually be melting)

I have done my absolute best to identify as many of their medals/ribbons as possible based on the clearest images I could find, and I have tried my best to comment on how realistic they may be for these characters. The photos I referenced for this deep dive are included at the bottom of this post.

Analysis below the cut

LT. Jake “Hangman” Seresin He wears 9 ribbons on his uniform. 

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Jake wears an additional device on his but it doesn’t look like a star. It is likely a bronze “V” for valour worn to denote that the award was given for combat heroism. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Jake wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism). 

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) * The pin Jake wears on his ribbon looks like a Fleet Marine Force combat operation insignia indicates that he may have been assigned to a unit that operated under a Marine Corps attachment and carried out duties under the Marine Corps operational control 

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Jake wears two stars on his ribbon. I can’t tell if they are silver or bronze. Bronze would indicate he has met this criteria 3 times during his service. Two silver stars would 10. Both are possible for his character. 

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, Jake’s medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence. 

LT. Natasha “Pheonix” Trace Natasha also wears 9 ribbons on her uniform. 

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Natasha wears hers with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that she has received the commendation 3 times. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Natasha wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating she has been given this award 3 times.

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Natasha wears a pin/device on her ribbon, though it’s significantly smaller than the stars she wears on her other ribbons. The only devices authorized to be worn with this ribbon are bronze or silver stars, so I’m unsure what it is. 

NATO Medal (The NATO Medal is a decoration presented by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to recognize international NATO military members who have participated in various peacekeeping operations.) However, there are 10 different variations and versions of this medal and I can’t see in enough detail to confirm which one it is that Natasha wears. 

Again, from the research I’ve done, the ribbons that Natasha wears seem to make sense for her age, rank, and experience level. I have not been able to confirm if her NATO ribbon is in the correct order of presence, but I do believe it is. 

LT. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw

I can find only one image of him in his uniform and wearing his ribbons. However, I would have to assume that it’s an older photo and would have been taken long before the beginning of the beginning of the TGM film timeline and that he would have more by the time we see him on screen. I would also expect that having his papers pulled and being held back in his career timeline may have changed things for him as well. But, he’s wearing 8 ribbons in the photo. This could be a continuity error but I have no way of knowing for sure. Alas, I can only break down what I can see. (But if anyone can find me a still from the film where we can see his current ribbons I’d be over the moon). 

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Bradley wears his with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that he has received the commendation 3 times. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Bradley wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Bradley wears two silver stars on his ribbon which would indicate that he has met this criteria 10 times. 

Beyond the question of timeline, I would say that these ribbons all make sense for his level of experience, his rank, and his age. The ribbons all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence. 

LT. Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia  Mickey wears eight ribbons on his uniform. 

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Mickey wears his with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that he has received the commendation 3 times. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Mickey wears 1 bronze star on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 2 times.

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Mickey wears two bronze stars on his ribbon which would indicate that he has met this criteria 3 times. 

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, all of these medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence. 

LT. Reuben “Payback” Fitch  Reuben wears 9 ribbons on his uniform

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Reuben wears his with 1 star, but I can’t quite tell for sure if it’s bronze or silver. One bronze star would indicate that he has received the commendation 2times. One Silver star would indicate 5 times. Both would be possible. 

 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, participated in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, or U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations). It is hard to tell from the photos I have if this is for sure the correct medal, but it’s the only one that fits the colour order I can see. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Reuben wears his with 2 bronze stars indicating he’s been given this award 3 times. 

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Rueben wears one star on his ribbon. I cannot confirm whether it is a bronze star or a silver star. A bronze star would indicate that he has met this criteria 3 times. A silver star would indicate he met this criteria 10 times. 

If the third ribbon Rueben wears is the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal I am 95% sure it would be in the wrong order. I believe it should come after his Afghanistan Campaign medal and before his Inherent Resolve Campaign medal for them to be displayed in the correct order of precedence. 

LT. Robert “BOB” Floyd Robert wears seven ribbons on his uniform. 

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Bob wears his with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that he has received the commendation 3 times. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Bob wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism). 

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Bob wears a pin/device on this ribbon, though it’s significantly smaller than the stars he wears on his other ribbons. The only devices authorized to be worn with this ribbon are bronze or silver stars, so I’m unsure what it is. 

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, all of these medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence. 

LT. Javy “Coyote” Machado Javy wears nine ribbons.

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Javy  wears his with 2 star bronze stars so he has been given this commendation 3 times. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Javy wears 1 bronze star on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 2 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism). 

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Javy wears what looks like one bronze star on this ribbon which would indicate he has met this criteria twice. But I haven’t been able to find a clear enough image to confirm. 

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, all of these medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence. 

CWO Bernie “Hondo” Coleman Hondo wears 15 ribbons on his uniform

Purple Heart (Given to members of the US Military who have been wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces)

Meritorious Service Medal (presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves with outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Hondo wears his with 1  bronze star so he has been given this commendation twice. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Hondo wears 1 bronze star on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 2 times.

Meritorious Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit who have shown Valorous or meritorious achievement or service, or exceptionally meritorious conduct and outstanding achievement or service, in combat or non-combat.)

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Hondo wears a silver wreathed E pin on his ribbon showing he has received this award 5 or more times. 

Good Conduct Medal (awarded to any active duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honorable and faithful service," without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offenses.)

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.)

Iraq Campaign Medal (The Iraq Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Iraq  (or its territorial waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (For  military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror starting from 2001 to a date to be determined.) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Armed Forces Service Medal (Awarded to Service members who have participated in “significant action” for which no other service or campaign medal is authorized, ie. military operation that did not encounter foreign armed opposition or imminent hostile action)

Humanitarian Service Medal (Awarded to service members who partake in military acts or operations which are deemed to be humanitarian in nature) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.)

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal from what I understand would have later been replaced with the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals which he has also received and wears. He would not have received all three, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. However, I have less direct context and understanding of his role as a Chief Warrant Officer and what his career path may have looked like compared to the Dager Squad members and cannot comment on whether or not he is missing any that you may expect to see on a CWO. 

CAPT. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell Maverick wears 22 ribbons on his uniform

Silver Star Medal (awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States. It is the third-highest decoration for valour in combat)

Legion of Merit (for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.)

Defense Meritorious Service Medal (For members of the armed forces who while serving in a joint activity showed outstanding achievement or meritorious service in non-combat situations, but not of a degree to warrant award of the Defense Superior Service Medal.)

Meritorious Service Medal (awarded to those who have shown meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.) *Mav wears a bronze pin device on his ribbon on the second yellow stripe. This is usually a strike/flight numerals device. I cannot make out the number, but this would serve to indicate the number of Strike/Flight awards given for operations in hostile territory and count the total number of Strikes (operations that faced enemy opposition) and Flights (operations that did not encounter enemy opposition) added together.

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Mav wears his with 3 silver stars implying he has received this award a total of 15 times

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.)

Combat Action Ribbon (Given to United States Sea Service Members who have actively participated in ground or surface combat)

Joint Meritorious Unit Award (given to joint units or units tasked with a joint mission where they have displayed meritorious achievement or service beyond what is normally expected, or for actions in combat with an armed enemy of the, a declared national emergency, or under extraordinary circumstances of national interest)

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Mav wears a silver E pin on his ribbon showing he has received this award 2 times. 

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Armed Forces Service Medal (Awarded to Service members who have participated in “significant action” for which no other service or campaign medal is authorized, ie. military operation that did not encounter foreign armed opposition or imminent hostile action)

South West Asia Service Medal (Awarded to those who participated in operations in South West Asia between 1990 and 1995. Including participation in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Operations and support may have been carried out in any of the following nations and/or areas: Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Eygpt, Türkiye, Syria, Jordan, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden) *Mav wears 2 bronze stars indicating he served in 2 of 3 major campaigns. His bronze stars are pinned in the incorrect positions however, they should not be centred side by side, but rather one on each of the inside yellow stripes. 

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) *Maverick wears two bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he served during 2 of the 6 campaign phases. Once again his stars are in the incorrect positions. Instead of being centred side by side, they should each be on each of the inner black stripes. 

Iraq Campaign Medal (The Iraq Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Iraq  (or its territorial waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) *Maverick wears two bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he served during 2 of the 7 campaign phases. Once again his stars are in the incorrect positions. Instead of being centred side by side, they should each be on each of the inner black stripes.

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (For  military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror starting from 2001 to a date to be determined.) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.)

United Nations Medal (award for any action in which a member of the military participated in a joint UN activity)

Kuwait Liberation Medal (Awarded by the government of Kuwait to regional and foreign military personnel who served during the Gulf War’s “Liberation of Kuwait” campaign phase between 1990 and 1993. 

Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Mav wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification. 

Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Mav wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification. 

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal from what I understand would have later been replaced with the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals which he has also received and wears. He would not have received all three, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. I do have questions about how many years he’s been serving and only making it to the rank of Captain but he also has not received, or at least does not wear any ribbons for good conduct, and he is known to rock the boat so I will suspend my disbelief.

VADM. Beau “Cyclone” Simpson  Cyclone wears 19 ribbons on his uniform 

Bronze Star Medal (heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.)

Purple Heart (Given to members of the US Military who have been wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces)

Meritorious Service Medal (awarded to those who have shown meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Joint Service Commendation Medal (meritorious achievement or service in a joint duty capacity.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service) *Beau wears his with 2 silver stars so he has been given this commendation 10 times. 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Cyclone wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism). *Cyclone wears a device on this ribbon, it’s not a star, but from what I’ve read there are no other devices authorized to wear with this ribbon.  

Navy  Meritorious Unit Commendation ( for valorous or meritorious achievement or service in combat or non-combat situations) 

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Cyclone wears a silver E pin with a wreath on his ribbon showing he has received this award 5 times. 

Good Conduct Medal (awarded to any active duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honourable and faithful service," without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offences.) *Beau wears what looks to be 2 stars on this ribbon. I cannot tell what colour they are. 2 bronze would me he’s received this award 3 times for 9 consecutive years of honorable service. 2 silver would mean he’s received this award 10 times for 30 consecutive years of honorable service. However, before 1996 they were awarded every 4 years. So I think we’re likely looking at between 20-25 years of service, which makes sense for his rank. 

Navy Expeditionary Medal ( Awarded to enlisted Navy service members who were confirmed to have landed on foreign territory and engaged in operations against armed opposition) 

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Iraq Campaign Medal (The Iraq Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Iraq  (or its territorial waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have deployed in support of the War on Terror to locations beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.) 

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001) 

UNIDENTIFIED SERVICE MEDAL

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Beau wears what looks like one bronze star on this ribbon which would indicate he has met this criteria twice. But I haven’t been able to find a clear enough image to confirm. 

Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Beau wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification. 

Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Cyclone wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification. 

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, from what I understand, would have later been replaced with his Iraq Campaign Medal which he has also received and wears. He would not have received both, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. However, I have less direct context and understanding of his role as a Vice Admiral and what his career path may have looked like compared to the Dager Squad members, and cannot comment on whether or not he is missing any that you may expect to see on a VADM. 

RADM. Solomon “Warlock” Bates Warlock wears 22 ribbons on his uniform

Legion of Merit (for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.)

Bronze Star Medal (heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.)

Purple Heart (Given to members of the US Military who have been wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces)

Meritorious Service Medal (awarded to those who have shown meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Joint Service Commendation Medal (meritorious achievement or service in a joint duty capacity.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service) 

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) 

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism).

UNIDENTIFIED SERVICE MEDAL

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Warlock wears 3 silver E pins on his ribbon showing he has received this award 4 times. 

Good Conduct Medal (awarded to any active duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honourable and faithful service," without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offences.) *Solomon wears what looks to be 2 stars on this ribbon. I cannot tell what colour they are. 2 bronze would me he’s received this award 3 times for 9 consecutive years of honorable service. 2 silver would mean he’s received this award 10 times for 30 consecutive years of honorable service. However, before 1996 they were awarded every 4 years. So I think we’re likely looking at between 20-25 years of service, which makes sense for his rank. 

Navy Expeditionary Medal ( Awarded to enlisted Navy service members who were confirmed to have landed on foreign territory and engaged in operations against armed opposition) 

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Iraq Campaign Medal (The IraqCampaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Iraq  (or its territorial waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) *Warlock wears two bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he served during 2 of the 7 campaign phases. Once again his stars are in the incorrect positions. Instead of being centred side by side, they should each be on each of the inner black stripes.

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (For  military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror starting from 2001 to a date to be determined.) 

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have deployed in support of the War on Terror to locations beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.) 

Humanitarian Service Medal (Awarded to service members who partake in military acts or operations which are deemed to be humanitarian in nature) 

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Warlock wears what looks like 3 bronze star on this ribbon which would indicate he has met this criteria 4 times. But I haven’t been able to find a clear enough image to confirm. 

Navy Overseas Service Ribbon (recognizes those service members who have performed military tours outside the borders of the United States of America. 12 months of consecutive or accumulated duty at an overseas shore-based duty station)

United Nations Medal (award for any action in which a member of the military participated in a joint UN activity)

Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Solomon wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification.

Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Warlock wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification. 

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, from what I understand, would have later been replaced with his Iraq Campaign Medal which he has also received and wears. He would not have received both, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. However, I have less direct context and understanding of his role as a Rear Admiral and what his career path may have looked like compared to the Dager Squad members, and cannot comment on whether or not he is missing any that you may expect to see on a RADM. 

[nocternalrandomness]

National Naval Aviation Museum - Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

The National Naval Aviation Museum is the world’s largest Naval Aviation museum and one of the most-visited museums in the state of Florida. It features more than 150 beautifully restored aircraft representing Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Aviation. These historic and one-of-a-kind aircraft are displayed both inside the Museum’s over 350,000 square feet of exhibit space and outside on its 37-acre grounds.

[fynsh]

Fox is scouting the holonet and sliced databanks for planets suitable to hide troopers facing decommissioning. Confined to Coruscant he asks Bacara for help not realizing his brother had already started to establish a safe space to sent the troopers deemed "not fit" to serve with the Marines to

He'd never seen snow. His eyes were open wide reflecting the earnest wonder the rest of his face didn't convey. The hand previously cardling his fist clutching his encrypted comm close to his heart slowly reached towards the colorless cristalls dancing in the cold air, palms facing towards the grey sky offering more and more of its frozen tears. It was bitingly cold, so cold that their breaths were visible.

They had stepped down the ramp in silence, not announcing their arrival was the safest thing to do. Their dark hair, brows and lashes were already contrasted by white decorations of snow flakes after a few moments of standing still. His eyes began to slowly crinkle in a smile, it was subtle but noticable to anyone who knew what to look for. The few who had seen his smile in the private quarters they had shared back when all of them had still worn blues. Tilting his head towards the one man at his side, Fox closed lips turned upwards and his signature dimples appeared on his slightly gaunt cheeks.

"It smells so nice."

Bacara had never realized how being stationed on Triple Zero meant more than the pressure of working constantly surrounded by natborns. The Guard would've met more cultures and races during their service than any other corps. But they were also working on the planet with the least natural phenomena present, the least space to decompress. The endless jungle of buildings, durasteel floors and artificial skies did a poor job at imitating the galaxy's vastness. It was a poor attempt of representing cultures when there was no room to actually express those in a shared experience even one as simple as maybe gardening. Unless you were karking rich of course. He briefly pondered if all his brothers in the Guard got to know were the everlasting Kaminoan rain and the Coruscanti sunny weather simulation. Then he nodded slowly.

Fox was directly facing him, his eyes closing fully now, while he kept breathing in the clear air deeply as if he had been deprived of it before. He didn't even flinch at the shriek of a local bird but for once seemed to enjoy being oblivious. Existing in this very moment, he looked serene and trusting and safe. The bucket was clipped to his belt and the rest of the cold assault armor he'd lent from the 21st did nothing not hide the warmth Fox radiated into this private moment shared between two brothers. Bacara swore to himself then and there he would find a way to confide in the other commanders to one day gather them to witness the peace of their own secret safe space.

I just think Fox and Bacara would make a terrific (and probably terrifying) duo. But they could also be the best frenemies in the "I am the only one allowed to shit talk about this idiot" way

[kdo-three]

Maria Stinger @ The Marine Corps Air Station in Miami, Florida c.1960's Photographer: Bunny Yeager

[oweninadaydream]

𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 || 𝐂𝐇.𝟏

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 : Hangman is the certified ladies' man and everyone thinks they can read him like a book, but what neither the Dagger Squad nor anyone else can even begin to imagine is where the hell Jake has been going every Saturday night for the last few months…

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x male!character

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 : mentions of alcohol, some making out but nothing too smutty, emotional distress lmao, age gap relationship (27-35), some religious trauma, self-deprecating thoughts, post Top Gun : Maverick, the Dagger squad is stationed together.

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 : 2k

𝐚/𝐧 : Gif by @tay-swifts , M/N (Male Name). Hello beautiful people!!! I'm so exited about posting this project I've been working on for a while. I just wanted to say that since it's my first time writing for Jake this might be a bit OC Jake but I do hope I got it right hehe. Enjoy the fic and stay tuned for the next parts!!!

It was well after midnight when Jake arrived at the club’s entrance. The throbbing bass emanating from inside made the whole building shake, making his mind wonder what it would be like to live on top of such an obnoxiously loud place, contrasting with the quietness of the accommodations the Navy offered. The reflection of the neon sign reading  “Mon Ange” turned his natural olive-toned skin into a vivid dark azure that matched perfectly with the baby blue in his eyes. The smokers (all with stamps on their hands) were all gathered some feet away from the door to get back in after dragging a final puff from their cigarettes. The queue was not very long, mainly because everyone who was meant to be there had arrived way earlier than him. He reprimanded himself for getting there so late ; in less than two hours the nightclub would shut its doors and Jake would feel like he wasted four hours of his life for nothing. Well, his journey would not be in vain if he caught a glimpse of- 

“Jake”

This was L.A, a city 118 miles away from the Marine Corps Air Station located in Miramar, which is a two-hour long drive away from everything he knows. He had to remind himself of those facts to avoid spiraling  at the sound of his name in such a place; he hated how his body kept reacting to these kinds of situations, but not even a skilled lieutenant like himself could take the reins of these unnamed emotions that coursed through his entire being.

"What are you doing here by the door? I was worrying about you not showing up today, I was just about to send a search party. C'mon , let's grab a drink. Perhaps I can even convince you to dance this time" A wide playful smirk accompanied the flirty comment exquisitely and, even though Jake was more than used to these antics, his heart skipped a beat. Trying to compose himself, he answered while staring at the concrete floor. 

"I don't belong on that dance floor and y'know it, darlin' "

“Oh don’t say that, the 30s are the new 20s! … Even if you’re not planning to dance, you must’ve driven all the way over here for something, right?”

The damn question hit him like a truck. He could try to think of the right answer, but putting something into words made it terrifyingly real, and that was exactly what he'd been avoiding for months. The breeze made them both shiver, as the party outfits didn’t properly protect them from the chilly weather. 

“You're right” he muttered “Okay, lead the way. Make it worth the while, mh?" he teasingly replied. Even if what he was doing was definitely outside of his comfort zone, something about the constant banter between them calmed him.

"Don't you always have an amazing time with me? I thought that was why you only talk to me" a fake pout appeared on the face which Seresin couldn't help but to stare intensely in awe. Their hands intertwined and the pilot quickly melted into that comforting touch. His companion briefly exchanged some words with the bouncer and the doors opened for them. 

"Thankfully it was Joseph working tonight, I don't think Marcus would have let you in for free just like that" “I’m sure you would've charmed him into doing whatever you wanted anyway”

The thick air of the room embraced him as soon as the doors closed and the familiar feeling appeared in the pit of his stomach almost instantly; it seems like it was yesterday when he first stepped into the nightclub he now knows like the back of his hand, but in reality, that day was what it feels like ages ago. Still, the contradictions that manifested within him every time he returned persisted and only grew each day.

“I’ll go to the bar while you stay here and look pretty, okay? Same drink as always?”

It was because of moments like these that Hangman felt comfortable enough to let his guard down and be his usual extroverted self. Grabbing his wrist to stop him from going any further, he raised his voice so his words could be heard even though the music was top volume. “ Don’t you even dare to try to pay for those drinks, they’re on me.”

“Here it is, the Texan charm of Jake Seresin. I didn’t know you could apply those rules to this situation. Are you trying to imply I’m the girl in this whole affair? Shouldn't we at least draw lots for it?”

"Very funny, M/N'' the hostility that emanated from his rolling eyes made the other man realize his comment had affected Jake on a deeper level than intended. “Hey I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t hav- I know it’s  a touchy subject and I’m extremely sorry, please forgive me” the regret was visible in his expression and it also could be detected in the stuttering caused by the words rushing their way out of his mouth trying to obtain his forgiveness as fast as possible. Jake took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. 

Hangman was no saint, he didn’t go to church every Sunday or tried to look for a good christian wife to have kids with like his father did in his day. He knew God was not exactly pleased with the way he was running his life but he used to think that when the time came, He would welcome him with open arms (after having apologized profusely, that is). But now that he had fallen for the most vile trick in the book, he couldn't trust that previous statement anymore. Lust was a capital sin, pretty serious if you asked any priest from the church the Seresin family attended back in Texas, but sodomy? Say goodbye to eternal salvation, son. If Jake was being honest, the promise of heaven or the threat of hell didn't scare him. It was the destruction of all the life lessons that made him act the way he acted,  of his purpose as a son, as a man. The thing that truly haunted him at night  was the thought of a deity (and his father)  designing him to be this flawless individual with a very clear life path , only to end up as a filthy, disgusting f-

“Hey, are you okay? Would you like me to leave you alone for a bit?”

The thought of M/N walking away while he sank deeper and deeper in the sea of guilt and fury frightened him. “Please don’t” he begged “everything’s fine, I promise. Let’s down a couple shots and , who knows, maybe I’ll be in the mood to dance for a bit” the last comment was a futile attempt to hide the everlasting agony that clouded his mind. M/N moved so they were a few inches away and raised his hand to caress his cheek. His next step consisted in resting his arms around his shoulders and starting kissing him delicately in the neck and in the whole face in general, in hopes to kiss the discomfort away. 

How could something so delicate and sweet be so dirty? Was it even dirty to begin with? What about the women he had dated? He was attracted to them but now he- Too many questions Jake was not willing to answer that night. He only wanted one thing, and he was about to claim it. 

After regaining control of himself, Jake put his right hand on the younger male’s back to guide him to the counter where people were piling up fighting to get the barman’s attention. Being as attractive and well-built as he was, he obtained the alcoholic beverages rather quickly. After the last drop of tequila had made its way down their throats, Hangman took control and led him onto the dance floor. His mind was only filled of the smell of M/N’s cologne mixed with his natural scent enhanced by their bodies crashing against each other while swaying to the 2000s pop remixes, his eyes fixed on his partner’s hypnotizing movements and his hands focused on feeling what they can reach, testing if they can go further in their journey through M/N’s body. Jake was simply standing close and moving according to the song's beat but in a subtle way, just like he would do at the locals he frequented with his coworkers ; manly enough to keep his dignity intact but provocative enough to awake that lustful hunger in the other person’s soul.

‘Mon Ange’ had finally closed down and the two men were still all over each other on the angelino streets. The tingle settling in his chest could only be compared with the adrenaline rush he had previously experienced on those wild nights spent in college, the farewell by the porch of the first girl he had taken on a date or the night out after his first deployment; if he closed his eyes he could swear he was 20 again, but reality made sure to remind him of those fifteen more years that had passed. 

M/N had this juvenile thing about him, Jake couldn’t guess confidently his age from afar and his curiosity was finally satiated after befriending him and asking him about it directly ; he was 27, even though he looked some years younger. His bold character combined with his kindness and humor made M/N resemble a butterfly flying around collecting the pollen from every flower in the garden and making it seem effortless. That was one of the many things that hooked Jake on him as if he were the most addicting drug out there, making him throw away his plan of not getting attached and limiting this experience with sporadic hookups that would end then and there, never with the same person twice. That was the problem, he appeared and started moving his hips to some song, making the whole room turn around him and ever since then (even if Jake was still in denial), he was a goner.

The next thing he knew, he was laying down on M/N’s bed, a king size mattress close to a very big window that allowed him to take in the beautiful sight of the sleeping city. He had only been to the apartment twice, but he had always  left before the sun had made its appearance in the sky, moved by remorse and skepticism. This time though, he had stayed the whole night that was filled with passionate sex and heart to heart conversations and finally some cuddling that lured him to rest for a while. Now he was wide awake, sitting against the headboard, resting his eyes on the sunrise and on the slumbering figure facing him. He looked so calm, so peaceful. In that moment, turning his gaze away, he tried to repress a sob that came with a single tear falling through his left cheek. 

M/N had always known he was queer, embracing his bisexuality in childhood. Jake had never had any problems with people who were not straight, even if the people around him growing up did, but everything was different when it came to himself. For fuck’s sake, he was closer to being 40 than from his teenage years, what was he doing? He could only paralyze at the idea of anyone seeing what he was doing. It was definitely too late for him. Risking his life everyday up in the sky felt like a minor burden compared to the endurance of the dilemmas he carried with him everywhere, just like Christ had carried the cross all the way to Calvary.

He could feel himself falling for the person right next to him, and that was the worst thing that had ever happened to Lieutenant Jacob Seresin. His calloused hand cupped M/N’s soft face, making the other man lean in closer in search of that delightful warmth. Jake’s lips burned in desperate need to say something out loud. His heart started palpitating at a dangerous speed, as he knew the thing trying to escape from his mind was a cruel thing to say and that he was a horrible being just by thinking that. It was no one’s fault and it had no solution, yet the idea popped up in his mind like an unwanted ad appearing on your phone. His chest ached at the possibility of M/N hearing the words, so he tried to whisper as quietly as it was humanly possible. 

“I wish you were a girl”

[zvaigzdelasas]

Japanese construction workers on Wednesday resumed landfill work at the new site of the U.S. military base on Okinawa despite protests by the island’s residents that the move tramples on their rights and raises environmental concerns.

The planned relocation site for the base, on Okinawa’s eastern coast, has been at the center of a dispute between the government in Tokyo and the local authorities at a time of the island’s growing strategic importance.[...]

Three weeks ago, the Fukuoka High Court’s Naha branch ordered Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki to approve the central government’s modified landfill plan, and allowed the Land and Transport Ministry to order the work to resume by overriding the governor’s disapproval.

On a barge brought to the location on Wednesday, a pair of loader machines scooped up mounds of rock and gravel and dumped them into the sea as part of reclamation needed to reinforce the extremely soft seabed at the site planned for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

Tamaki, who has appealed the order to the Supreme Court, said the court ruling was unjust and goes against the will of the residents. Under Japanese law, construction can proceed while the court decision is pending. He called the resumption of the landfill work “extremely regrettable.”[...]

Tamaki, the governor, has sought a significant reduction of the U.S. military on Okinawa, which is home to more than half of 50,000 American troops based in Japan under a bilateral security pact.

Hundreds of scholars, film directors and ordinary citizens who have advocated for Okinawans’ autonomy, signed a global petition demanding the island cease to be “a de facto military colony of the United States and Japan ever since the end of the World War II.”

One of the petition organizers, Satoko Norimatsu Oka who heads the Vancouver-based Peace Philosophy Center, provided a copy of the document to The Associated Press.

“We must end the discrimination and military colonization of Okinawa,” said the petitioners, who include filmmaker Oliver Stone.

The petition urged President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to “cancel the construction of the new base in Henoko.”

10 Jan 24

[usafphantom2]

Show stunner 👀

An F-35B Lightning II assigned to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing conducts an aerial demonstration of its vertical landing and short-take off capabilities during the 2024 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Airshow in San Diego, California.

@theF35JPO via X

[anqelsweep]

                     CAN I DREAM A FEW MONTHS MORE? 

The members of the Song family have always held an air of sadness around them;  not having a sense of belonging or being able to feel love towards others. All members carry the weight of the others.

warnings. death, death via shooting, neglect, bullying, isolation, alludes to poor mental health & divorce. if i missed anything please let me know!!

                                          DANIEL SONG.

Given Name. Daniel Melnik-Song 

Birth Name. Song Sungsoo 송성수

Date of Birth. April 21, 1959

Zodiac Signs. Taurus & Pig

Date of Death. September 8, 1992 ( 33 )

Place of Birth. Seoul, South Korea

Home Town. Flushing, Queens, New York, New York

Ethnicity. South Korean

Nationality. Korean-American 

Height. 180cm ( 5’11” )

Face Claim. none

Birthed and abandoned in Seoul, South Korea, Daniel was born Song Sangsoo to an unknown couple on April 21, 1959. He was adopted in October 1961 and became the youngest and only boy to Aleksie Melnik and Diana Melnik-Martins. Daniel had three older sisters, Sonya, Aaliyah and Josie. 

 He grew up in Flushing, New York, and had a relatively good life. He graduated from Flushing High School in 1977 and immediately joined the US Marine Corps, and was stationed at Camp Henry, located in Daegu, South Korea in 1978. While at Camp Henry, he met and married Yoon Shinae, a newly graduated college student. The couple married in January 1980. The newly married couple moved from Seoul to California in June of 1980. After the birth of their second daughter, Daniel and Shinae moved them back to South Korea; taking up residence in Dobong-gu.

 In 1992, Daniel was fatally shot outside a bar in Seoul, South Korea. The suspect fled and was later arrested for the shooting. 

                                          YOON SHINAE.

Given Name. Yoon Shinae 윤신애

Date of Birth. October 3, 1960

Zodiac Signs. Libra & Rat

Place of Birth. Daegu, South Korea

Home Town. Daegu, South Korea

Ethnicity. South Korean

Nationality. South Korean

Height. 168 cm ( 5’6” )

Face Claim. bae doona 

Yoon Shinae was born and raised to Farmers in Daegu, South Korea, as their second child and only daughter. Shinae has one older brother named Si-hyuk.  Growing up, and into early adulthood, Shinae was put aside in favor of her brother; Si-hyuk being labeled a chess and janggi prodigy. While Shinae in her own right had prodigy-like talents in the art of painting, her talent was not as impressive to her parents. 

Despite the lack of support from her parents and older brother, Shinae went on to thrive academically, graduating at the top of her class and being accepted into one of Korea’s top universities, Korea University; however, she would attend Ewha Women’s University. She graduated from said college with a Bachelor's in Literature. In 1979, she met US Marine Daniel Melnik-Song. They only dated for about a year when they married. 

  In 1992, Daniel was fatally shot outside a bar in Seoul, South Korea. After his death, Shinae was left alone to take care of an eleven-year-old girl and a barely one-year-old baby. The woman would be forced to take up several jobs to keep them afloat; having both her education job and working part-time at a restaurant. In the Winter of ‘94, Shinae married again, this time to a therapist named Lee Gi-ung. The couple welcomed a baby boy in March of 1995, naming him Lee Namil. Sadly, they would file for divorce before the child’s baegil.

Two decades after receiving her degree, Shinae finally began working as a full-time teacher at a high school in Suwon, thirty minutes outside Seoul.

                                         SONG EUNJOO.

Given Name. Natalia Song

Korean Name. Song Eunjoo 송은주

Date of Birth. August 28, 1981

Zodiac Signs. Virgo & Rooster

Place of Birth. Sacramento, California 

Home Town. Seoul, South Korea 

Ethnicity. South Korean

Nationality. Korean-American

Height. 161cm ( 5’3” )

Face Claim. Song Hye Kyo

Song Eunjoo, born Natalia Eunjoo Song, came into the world on August 29, 1981, becoming the oldest child of Shinae and Daniel. She was born in Sacramento, California in Mercy General Hospital.

Eunjoo spent much of her childhood either playing in the streets of her hometown or at after-school clubs and cram schools, taking a special interest in science in her elementary school years.

Along with her family - which now included her baby sister Judith, Eunjoo moved from Sacramento to Seoul, South Korea when she was 10. The move was hard on Eunjoo, moving so far away from her friends took a toll on her. In addition, she barely knew Korean and had trouble assimilating into her new school. She’d barely talk to anyone in school — out of school too, she focused on her science research. 

According to Eunjoo, she was bullied up until high school;

 “I had things spilled on me, I would buy kids snacks so they wouldn’t hit me. Sometimes, I’d spend my day in the nurse's office. I wasn't good at Korean and my family problems were well-known around our neighborhood. I don’t know what changed but in high school, it all stopped.”

 Her struggles with adjusting to her new environment were made even more difficult after the sudden death of her father in 1992. She isolated herself even more from her teachers and classmates; which she admitted made the bullying worse. After her dad’s death, Eunjoo was forced to take a parental role to her sister, she spent her time taking care of Judy or studying.

Eunjoo graduated early from high school in her Sophomore year. Despite having scholarships from several universities she rejected them all in favor of helping her mother support the family; which now had one more member (her half-brother Namil). However, she didn’t have to worry about her little brother, his father having primary custody of him.

At 25, Eunjoo began her college career. She attended the University of Kragujevac in Serbia, graduating in 2011, at the age of 30. Eunjoo worked at an undisclosed law firm in Serbia from 2012 to 2016 before moving back to Seoul in 2017 and becoming a professor at Dongguk University.

                                          LEE NAMIL.

Given Name. Lee Namil 이남일

Date of Birth. March 28, 1995

Zodiac Signs. Aries & Pig

Place of Birth. Seoul, South Korea

Home Town. Busan, South Korea

Ethnicity. South Korean

Nationality. South Korean

Height. 182 cm ( 6’0″ )

Face Claim. yang sejong

Lee Namil was born the only son and youngest child to Yoon Shinae and the third son to Lee Gi-ung. Outside of his sister, Namil has three older siblings; two brothers one sister, and two younger siblings; a set of twin girls. In contrast to Eunjoo and Namjoo, he had a fairly peaceful life. He grew up in Busan. From a young age, he had a keen interest in sports, influenced by his oldest brother’s passion for track and field. His interest was in Tennis.

Much of Namil’s early years were spent playing tennis or working part-time at his step-mother’s restaurant. Academically, Namil did the bare minimum; only doing so much so he could stay a part of his high school’s tennis team. At graduation, he nearly flunked.

After high school, Namil spent a year working for his stepmother before enlisting and completing his mandatory military service. 

After his military service ended, Namil began to focus on his professional tennis career; competing in any tournament he could. He made his official debut at the French Open in 2019, losing in the 3rd round. He later competed in the Wimbledon Championships, making it to the quarterfinals before withdrawing out. Namil has had an extremely successful tennis career. He nearly qualified to represent South Korea in the 2024 Olympics. 

[military1st]

Dark Places.

A U.S. Marine aboard Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay.

The U.S. Marine Corps photo illustration by Cpl. Aaron S. Patterson (2016).

[queer-military-treasury]

Introduction/Masterpost

The purpose of this blog is to exist as a resource for the people who wish to know more of the militaries* and diplomatic relations between them. I'll try to keep this updated. Hopefully I don't miss any that pop up later on.

Please let me know of any information you believe is relevant, such as trades not specified here, new militaries, an important event, etc.

Run by @demi-demolitions

Current known militaries in alphabetical order,

A:

@actual-aspec-military

@actual-transgender-navy

@agender-war-crimes

@aroace-evils

@aroace-marine-general

@aromantic-detective

@aro-sp-ace-force

B:

@bisexual-airforce

@bisexual-navy

@bi-poly-space-station

C:

@cupiomantic-air-force

D:

@demiboy-army

@demi-demolitions

E:

@electio-aroace-navy

G:

@genderfluid-marine-corp

N:

@nonbinary-coastguard

O:

@obviously-enby-airforce

@omni-spaceforce

P:

@pansexual-spaceforce

@pan-warriors

Q:

@queer-military-authorities

R:

@real-omnisexual-military

T:

@the-aplatonic-cavalry

@the-aroace-prophet

@the-aromantic-forces

@the-asexual-assassins

@the-lesbian-marine-corp

@transcoastguard

Other information:

Tags in use:

masterpost, for this post only.

queer military verse, for all of mine since all are for the queer military verse.

resource, for resource posts such as those below.

request, asks that request an addition or change to the resources.

from the source, usually accompanied by a "thank you for your time" for reblogs of my asks.

Domains

Known Practices

Important Events

Diplomatic Relations

Documented Trades/Deals

Previous Battles/Wars Fought

Subpages need updating too! Not accurate yet! Not even sure if i want to update subpages anymore, honestly. Ill still keep them up though.

Its out of date again, probably so take it with a grain of salt.

[odk-2]

All Images by Bunny Yeager 1950's/1960's

Cindy Lee 1960s

Betty Sykes 1950's

Ruth Anderson 1960's

Kitty Alden 1950's

Tee Tee Red Burlesque Performer 1950's

Maria Stinger @ The Marine Corps Air Station in Miami, Florida c.1960's

Topless Beauty Pageant 1960's

Bunny Yeager Self Portrait 1950's

[cameoamalthea]

Dumb Post about Senator Mark Kelly

Usually I make Dumb Posts about animals, BUT Election 2024 is important and Harris is going to pick her VP soon so I want you to know about Mark Kelly.

The coolest, most meme-worthy politician ever, through shear awesomeness

Mark Kelly is the result of a cloning project to create the coolest VP candidate ever

Ok - that's not true, he's just an identical twin whose brother is also an astronaut (and yes, he's an astronaut, but that's not all)

SCIENTIST, PILOT, WAR HERO

He received a Bachelor of Science in marine engineering and nautical science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, graduating with highest honors in 1986. In 1994, he received a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

As a Navy Aviator he flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm.

Kelly has received two Defense Superior Service Medals; one Legion of Merit; two Distinguished Flying Crosses; four Air Medals (two individual/two strike flight) with Combat "V"; two Navy Commendation Medals, (one with combat "V"); one Navy Achievement Medal; two Southwest Asia Service Medals; one Navy Expeditionary Medal; two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons; a NASA Distinguished Service Medal; and an Overseas Service Ribbon.

Distinguished Flying Crosses are a BIG DEAL. You pretty much only get those for doing something's that’s worth making into a movie scene and he has TWO!

ASTRONAUT

Mark Kelly has logged over 54 days in space.

His Twin brother spent a YEAR IN SPACE (that's his brother on the cover - probably - but you get the idea that he also looked cool as an astronaut - and if you're wondering why he wasn't in space for a year, I'll get to that but the cool thing is cause he was retired while his brother was in space for a year he was the control in a twin study on the effects of being in space for a year)

That's probably also his brother, it's hard to google pictures when you have two identical twin brothers in space.

That's also Mark's twin brother Scott, because Mark smuggled a whole ass Gorilla Costume onto the International Space Station so his brother could go on a Gorilla rampage as a prank.

OK here he is

That's Mark Kelly!

My point is he's an astronaut, he's been to space, and the reason he left all that behind will bring you to tears and make you love him.

He's Mr. Gabby Giffords

Gabby Giffords served as a Congresswoman from Tucson, Arizona. When Giffords was sworn in on January 3, 2007, she was the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to serve in the U.S. Congress and was a Democrat elected in a very Republican district.

When I met her she was very Mom Shaped. She took care of the community and cared about her constituents. To the point that she would fly to Arizona from Washington DC to do events where she would just be out on a street corner where you could go talk to her.

On January 8, 2011, at a “Congress On Your Corner” constituent event in Tucson, Gabby was shot in the head by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others. 

At the time Mark Kelly was Cammander of the STS-134 he penultimate mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the 25th and last spaceflight of Space Shuttle Endeavour.

He stayed by his Wife's side for a month, when it was clear she was making progress in her recovery he announced on February 4, 2011, that he would remain commander of the mission. This would be his final mission.

He sent a love song to his wife from the International Space Station in the form of dedicating a song:

On June 21, 2011, Kelly announced that he would leave NASA's astronaut corps and the U.S. Navy effective October 1, to be with his wife and support her through her recovery:

Kelly became an outspoken advocate for gun control following the attempted assassination of his wife.

Still he dreamed of returning to space and worked out to keep his body mission ready.

"Kelly eventually compares everything to his time with NASA. As commander, he managed a small team of astronauts and worked within a sprawling bureaucracy. Every day pointed toward the same goal. There were checkpoints and to-do lists. The mission offered a clear dividing line between success and failure.

“It’s a very well-defined criteria of success,” Kelly said"

In 2020 he began a new mission serving as Senator for Arizona. A Moderate, he won twice in a swing state and would like draw some Republican voters who don't love Donald Trump over to the Harris ticket, should she choose him as VP.

[kdo-three]

Fly Girl Maria Maria Stinger @ The Marine Corps Air Station in Miami, Florida c.1960's Photographer: Bunny Yeager

[dangerousthingobservation]

McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II+ - USA - Marines

Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231), known as the "Ace of Spades", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. - Photo taken at Lajes (Terceira Island - Lajes) / Azores (AB4) (TER / LPLA) in Azores, Portugal on May 16, 2017.

[spicywhenspeaking]

If I'm There: Chapter Seventeen

read from part one here!

summary: Noah and Natalie met in high school and developed a relationship through their love of music and art. Falling in love, innocent and young, they think nothing can keep them apart. However, sometimes in the pursuit of your dreams the things we love the most get left behind.

warnings: mentions of alcoholism

this is a complete work of fiction, these characters while based on real people are totally made up. :)

edited by me hungover this morning....soooo if you see something spelt wrong no you didn't.

taglist : @lma1986 @cookiesupplier @notingridslurkaccount @blackveilomens @thisbicc @thebadchic @laurpartyprogram @jessitpwk @samanthasgone

Roughly 10 years later, June 5th, 2023

Beep

Beep 

Beep

The constant beeping of my alarm begins waking me up and as I roll over to hit the snooze button when I suddenly hear the pattering of footsteps and then a small “oof” of a body launching themselves in the air and landing directly on me.

“Ouch!” I call out and the mass now on top of me dissolves into a fit of giggles. 

“Mom!!! wake up!!! Ashley’s mom will be here soon!” Erin is full of energy today. Her friend Ashley’s mom is taking her and some of her friends to Six Flags for the day to celebrate the end of the school year. I roll my comforter up to cover Erin up in a burrito of blankets and she starts to laugh even harder. “Mom! Let me out!” Erin’s voice squeaks out between laughs. 

“Okay, okay. Be free little one,” I tell her while unwrapping the blankets covering her. I see her face poke out the top and lean down to cover it in kisses. “Oh, I love you so much!! My little baby!! I can’t believe you just finished third grade! Stop growing please !” She laughs and wiggles out of the bed. “Moooom! Please get up, I need to eat breakfast.”

We travel downstairs into the kitchen together and I turn on the coffee maker while gathering the supplies needed to make breakfast. I start making pancakes and soon we hear clunking around coming from the other room. “Do I smell pancakes!?” Haylie calls out from behind her door. Erin runs to the other side “Auntie Hales come to eat breakfast with me!” she calls out and the door swings open surprising Erin. She jumps slightly but recovers as soon as Hailey picks her up and swings her around the hallway toward the kitchen where I’m flipping the last pancake onto the large serving plate. “Pancakes and bacon! I hope you’re hungry,” I call out and pour two cups of coffee and a glass of orange juice for Erin. “I’m starving! Thanks, Mom” Erin says. “Yeah, thanks, Mom!” Haylie jokes. 

We didn’t mean to stay at Haylie’s this long but every time I considered moving Haylie wouldn’t hear it. She loves having us here and we love being here and after a while, we really felt like a little family. Speaking of families, my brother is coming to visit soon. Kyle and Maggie are both coming. Together. 

After I left they became closer and eventually fell in love. I didn’t know how long it would last but after Kyle enlisted in the Marine Corps they got even closer. When he was stationed in Okinawa in a surprise to us all they secretly eloped so they could live off base together. They are still together now and happier than ever. They have a five-year-old girl, Natasha, who Erin loves so much. The girls are so sweet and we love any chance we can get them together. They’re coming to visit next week for a week and I’m really excited. 

A lot has changed in the last ten years. Kyle and I have grown to be incredibly close. I think us both becoming parents changed a lot. Unfortunately, our Mom never recovered from her alcoholism and passed a few years after Erin was born. She met Erin a few times but I was very protective, especially in those first few years of her life and I didn’t want her seeing my mom when she was at her worst. Our Dad lives in Austin now, he wanted to be close to me and his grandchild after our Mom died, and at first I was really hesitant, but over the years a lot has changed. Our relationship is pretty good now and Erin loves her grandpa so much, he likes taking her to the library and the park on the weekends, or to get ice cream after school.  

We finish up our breakfast and help Erin get ready for her day trip with her friends. We pack her a small bag since they’ll be having a sleepover after their day at the amusement park. Erin is running around her room trying to decide which stuffed animal she wants to take, she’s deep in thought trying to choose between her stuffed giraffe and her frog build-a-bear we made a few years ago for her birthday. “Froggy! I choose you!” she declares and for a moment everything about her is Noah.

Noah. I never heard from him after I sent the letter. I thought about reaching out again but between life with a newborn and working on finishing my apprenticeship time just slipped away from me. Then she was getting bigger and I was getting settled into my new career as a tattoo artist and when I saw that he was in a new band that was really picking up, that same insecurity that Alex planted all those years ago came right back. her words echoing, “You’ll ruin his life you know? His whole career. He will throw it all away for you. Is that what you want?” I stopped trying, I stopped waiting and I have tried every day of Erin’s life to be everything she needs. When I listened to that first album I was amazed. By his talent, what he was creating for himself was exactly what he wanted. I cried so hard listening to it, I threw the CD in the box that was hiding in the back of my closet.

Ashley’s Mom picked up Erin about an hour later. “Have fun and be careful okay? Listen to Ashley’s Mom and I will call you before you go to bed tonight, she has my number if you need to call me at all okay?” I ask and my sassy daughter in her rush to leave is nodding and just saying “Yes, okay Mom, I will, Okay..Mom she’s here!! Can I go please??” she pleads and I laugh and give her a big hug, and kiss before walking her to the car outside.

Later when I’m getting ready for work I decide on a simple white tank with my faded loose-fit jeans that are covered in holes, but the most comfortable pair of pants I own. I throw on some light makeup and put my hair up in a loose bun. “Wow! How can you make a plain white tank look so hot?!” Haylie loves to hype me up so I give her a little spin and mock bow. “Thank you!” I say as I finish packing my bag and filling up my water bottle. I’m trying to only work a half day so I can do some emotional spending, if I can finish my appointments before getting any walk-ins, Target is all mine.

Waving goodbye I head out the door and hop into my car to head to work. I bought a new car when Erin was five and I love it so much, it’s perfect for us. A little Honda CRV in black. My books have been filling up lately and I was able to pay off the car early last spring which was an amazing feeling. I take off down the street and it’s a short drive to the shop only ten minutes, I turn on the radio and my usual station is playing. “Up next we have a song that’s picking up some traction on TikTok and normally we don’t care about that. But, this is a band I like so to celebrate their upcoming show in Austin, up next we have Bad Omens with Just Pretend” the DJ says and I audibly groan and hit the power button on the radio and just commit to the silent drive into work. It hasn’t been impossible to avoid his band but I try, everyone laughs at work when they come on a playlist. They all anticipate me calling out “Hey Siri” or “Okay Google,” “Alexa” followed by “Skip!” I think they all just assume I don’t like the band and I’m happy not to elaborate. 

I get to work and head to my station to get set up for my first appointment. It’s a repeat client and we are finishing up her sleeve tattoo with filler and some color. It doesn’t take very long and before I know It I’ve finished two more clients and it’s almost 2 pm. 

I continue to clean my station since my client left a half hour ago. My plans to cut out early and go shopping came to a  crashing halt when I heard the jingle of the door opening and four guys walked in, two of whom I hadn’t seen in about a decade. I knew they were in town but I mean, Austin is a huge city. They could have walked into any tattoo shop. But no, the man I’ve been avoiding, actively avoiding since he left me, alone, unknowingly pregnant and devastated is right there. Right in front of me, it’s like every feeling I worked through in therapy is rushed back to the surface.

He hasn’t seen me, too busy talking to Ryan at reception and I overhear “Yeah, I think Nat is available. She doesn’t have anyone on her books for the rest of the day” he says, looking down to check my logbook. “Hey Nat!” He calls to me and the four eyes follow, two in particular getting hit with immediate recognition. “Do you have time to fit these guys in? They say they’re just looking for some small line work?” I see his whole frame tense and his mouth opens slightly, almost in awe, "Natty?" we whispers.

I’m frozen, I’m speechless and our eyes are locked. I’m staring into the eyes of the man that I used to love, that’s the father of my child he doesn’t know. I have to speak. I have to say something. NATALIE! SPEAK ! SAY SOMETHING!  I scream to myself internally before I finally breathe out and manage to speak. I try to keep a calm face as I respond “Um, yeah sure. Just get them to fill out the paperwork and send them back.” I duck back down into my little station and try to calm my breathing. I look around and there are pictures of Erin everywhere, I move to quickly remove all of them from my workstation and pick up my phone to call Haylie

“911, this is an actual emergency and I’m freaking out!” I rush out in a harsh whisper “Noah is here. At the shop. With his band. And they want tattoos! WHAT THE FUCK!”

thank you loves! <3

dividers from here!

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