JAG Character Ribbons

- - - & Screen Captures - - -

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The images below are full size with the hope that someone might be able to help me identify the names and descriptions of the Australian military ribbons Trevor Goddard wears on the show. I've searched the internet several times to no avail. This page was the most difficult page to prepare. The ribbons are so small on the television screen they must be enlarged and enhanced beyond what maintains their quality.

I also need a source of Australian Military Images (the real ones) so I can populate the character ribbon rack. If you can help me find the information and images, it would be greatly appreciated.


Mick Brumby (Trevor Goddard) Arrived at JAG in Nov 1998, season 5, with an open ended TAD assignment. The story claimed that he had served in Iran previously. No info re when he joined the service and/or got his law degree. Im not sure the rules for military enlistment in Austrailia, or whether it's possible to obtain a law degree while serving. If so, and assuming he joined around 18 years of age, and assuming he was between 25 and 30 in the series; he could have joined the service between 1984 - 88 or thereabouts.

Not sure where these came from - left preproduction; right (?) screenshot from a show
clearly only two ribbon rows and top left (1) has diagonal stripes.

Came from another site on the web - left a screenshot; right seems posed, like a publication photo
both clearly have four rows and 11 ribbons. The diagonal striped ribbon seems missing.


Brumby's ribbons in Boomerang
unknown - need identification unknown - need identification
General Services Medal. Instituted in 1962 and awarded For service in particular areas/actions not marked by their own medal, but by a bar on this one, since 1962. i.e. Kuwait, the Gulf, Iraq, and Turkey possible austrailian gulf war medal - need source for ribbon image and the criterion. unknown - need identification
possible Multinational Force medal - need source for criteria Liberation of Kuwait (Saudi Arabia) - Members of the Armed Forces of the United States must have served in support of Operation Desert Storm between 17 January 1991 and 28 February 1991 in one of the following areas: Persian Gulf; Red Sea; Gulf of Oman; that portion of the Arabian Sea that lies north of 10 degrees North latitude and west of 68 degrees East longitude; the Gulf of Aden; or the total land areas of Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. unknown - need identification
Meritorius Unit Commendation - Established by order of the Secretary of the Navy, 17 July 1967, it is awarded by the Secretary to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps which has distinguished itself under combat or noncombat conditions, by either valorous or meritorious achievement compared to other units performing similar service, but not sufficient to justify the award of the Navy Unit Commendation. unknown - need identification

  • (disappeared) Conspicuous Service Cross - Conspicuous Service Cross
  • (unknown) NOT the Australian Active Service Medal (45-75) as the left side is definitely a different shade of color than the right Australian Active Service Ribbon (45-75). Instituted 11 December 1997, and awarded for warlike service between 3 September 1945 and 14 February 1975.
  • (possible) INTERFET medal (Timor) INTERFET medal (Timor). Instituted 25 March 2000, and awarded for Service with INTERFET for at least 30 days. It may also be awarded to citizens of other nations serving with the Australian-led operation. But there seems to be size discrepency - the top row of ribbons (only two) doesn't seem to break in the center- like the right ribbon is oversized.
  • (possible) General Service Medal 1962, however the Rosette does not seem normal.
  • (possible - need ribbon and criteria source) Australian Gulf War medal 1991
  • (unknown - need identification)
  • (definite - but need ribbon and criteria source) Multinational Forces Medal
  • (most likely) Liberation of Kuwait (Saudi Arabia)
  • (unknown - need identification)
  • (most likely - need criteria source) Papua New Guinea Independence Medal
  • (could this be?) Meritorius Unit Commendation (US)
  • (unknown - need identification)
  • ** These are possibly Australian military ribbons **
  • ** but I cannot locate their identities in my web search**
  • ** Is there an Australian military buff who can help with this? **
  • ** I also need a source to obtain clear images of the "real" Australian military ribbons. **
  • ** as I have done for the US ribbons **
  • ** Email me the sources and/or answers **


    • Correspondence from consultants: (Newest first)

  • (Jan 9, 2007) More from Graeme Hardiman (Australia)
    "My last effort and I think your best bet.
    GSC
    A ASM 75(Kuwait 937 issued to Navy)
    ASM 75
    Defence Force Service Medal 1982
    UNIFET East Timor.
    Kuwait
    (from a Picture of Mic and Mac in Australia, "Boomerang")" Photo Brumby's ribbons in Boomerang Representation Brumby's ribbons

  • (Jan 7, 2007) From Graeme Hardiman (Australia - ex veteran of Malaya and 32 years in uniform)
    "In addition to my previous e-mail I have researched Australian Medal references in particular to the Navy. I have compiled what I believe to be the maximum possible medals that Mic Brumby could have possibly earned. Our period after the Vietnam War was restricted to East Timor, Iraq (liberation of Kuwait and the Current Iraq and Afghanistan. The medals I have included are the CGC (Striped yellow and brown) Established 1989 (65 issued to Naval personnel. Active Service medal 1975 with bar for Kuwait (937 issued to Navy). Jan - Feb 1991. Timor interfet UN medal and the both Vietnam medals. Lastly the Defense Force Long Service award from 1982 to current Blue and yellow stripes. Note. I am sure that the medals presented by the Producer /Director are of a strange vintage and will be much less accurate that the ones I have included." Brumby's maximum possible ribbons

  • (Jan 2, 2007) From Graeme Hardiman (Australia)
    Thoroughly enjoyed your site as I am a JAG fan and wanted to identify the actors medals. I consider myself as an expert on medals and in my opinion the only Australian medal I could identify was the General Service Medal 1962. In this case Brumby was too young to get it. Although the photos are not clear it indicates that they could be a number of later medals UN an so on. I really consider that anything was substituted. Australian Medals prior to 1991 were British, after this date they were purely Australian: Bravery medals and Campaign medals. The striped, yellow and black medal would be the CSG, conspicuous Service Cross. For information my sources are several; but, the best one is "Medals to Australia from 1858 - 1999 by R.D Williams and published by Downies, Email: info @ downies.com.au. It is the 4th Edition but is an earlier one."

  • (Dec 19th, 2006) More from Mike Smith (New Zealand)
    "Just looking at Brumby's age. Lets say he enlisted at about the minimum age which is 18 in 1998 that would make his year of birth 1980, now lets say he was 25 by 1998 that would equate to a birth year of 1973. If memory serves, to get a Law degree takes, as you say, 4 years, then one would start for that after finishing college at 17 so he would be earning his degree from age 18 to 21 inclusive. If he was born on 1973, then add 21 for the end of his University years would equate to 1994 so his enlistment would be in 1995. Here in New Zealand the promotion rate has a prerequisite of years of service that are served at each rank. Take a look at http://www.navy.gov.au/general/ranks.html as this is a listing of the Australian Naval ranks, note that Brumby holds the rank of Lt Cdr, which by general reckoning he would have to have served at least 15 or more years to hold that rank which would mean he would have to have enlisted before 1983. I tend to feel that the programme has operated on no knowledge of Australian awards.

    Just one extra point in that I see that on the RIGHT side of the blue uniform he is not wearing any badges. Theoretically, if he has returned from Active Service then he should have the "Returned from Active Service Badge" Aust RAS badge

  • (Dec 18th, 2006) I've recieved a response from my Queries to Mike Smith (New Zealand) and greatfully acknowledge his assistance. He aparantly has the same concern as I have; namely, that the show's producers didn't pay as much attention to detail concerning Brumby's ribbons as they did to the US ribbons. Mike makes comments, (green) on my comments; and, gives an additional web page to peruse.

    * (disappeared) Conspicuous Service Cross - Definately disappeared
    * (possible) Australian Active Service Medal (45-75) I doubt it as he is too young to have earned this before 1975
    * (possible) INTERFET medal (Timor) Maybe but it seems out of order somehow but then it also appears to be the US Air Force Long Tour Ribbon
    * (possible) General Service Medal 1962, however the Rosette does not seem normal. I agree, as there are no attachments for the ribbon except the Mention in Despatches and the image is far too small
    * (possible - need ribbon and criteria source) Australian Gulf War medal 1991 Australia issued the Active Service Medal 1975 and the Service Medal 1975 for those who went to the Gulf
    * (unknown - need identification) Strangely this looks like the ribbon of the US Occupation medal WW2
    * (possible - need ribbon and criteria source) Multinational Forces Medal (MFO) Yes this is
    * (most likely) Liberation of Kuwait (Saudi Arabia) Definately NOT
    * (unknown - need identification)
    * (most likely - need criteria source) Papua New Guinea Independence Medal Strange that this would be there as this was for an event from 1975
    * (could this be?) Meritorius Unit Commendation (US) Possibly
    * (unknown - need identification) Looks like the ribbon of the US Meritorious Service Medal

  • (Nov 27th 2006) Tom from ASAC has sent this useful link: http://www.medals.lava.pl which he says is in the correct order of precedence but seem a little too bright; S M] said he uses: http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/a-z.cfm and http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dpe_site/honours_awards/.
    I've used all three of them and these also:
    http://www.medals.org.uk/australia/australia-ribbons.htm;
    http://www.bobbuick.com/medals/medal_front_page.htm;
    http://www.vvaa.org.au/medals.htm;
    http://www.asacaustralia.com/;
    http://www.anzacday.org.au/education/medals/general/default.html;
    http://www.bobbuick.com/medals/medal_index.html;
    http://www.medalsofservice.com.au/;
    http://www.heritagemedals.com.au/;

  • (Nov 25th) I greatfully acknowledge the many who have just recently emailed me with more sources - especially Tom Hamilton from ASAC who just recently sent me some tentative ID's for many. Now I need some sources of "clean ribbon shots" so I can make up his rack. And it would be helpful if anyone could send me a more clear screen shot of Brumby's ribbons - the full rack. need to find a scene where he is in the light and the camera is zoomed in to nearly a head shot - or panning across his chest etc. The ones I have came from an S-video input off of satellite - if anyone has a digital source for the screenshot that should be much more clear.


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