- 1). Lay out your ribbons on a flat surface, arranged in the correct order of precedence. For most working uniforms, ribbons will be placed above the left breast pocket. As such, ribbons should be arranged so that highest to lowest precedence is displayed left to right, top to bottom. To determine the relative precedence of each ribbon, reference your military branch's award precedence chart (see Resources).
- 2). Slide each ribbon onto the ribbon bars in the correct order, using needle-nose pliers to widen or compress the back edges of each ribbon so it slides on smoothly, but grips the bar securely. Because each ribbon is made slightly different, a little finesse may be required in building your ribbons.
- 3). Adjust the ribbons you've built on your ribbon bar so that the edges line up and all spaces between ribbons have been eliminated. The ribbons should be snug against each other; no ribbon bar should be visible between ribbons.
- 4). Mount your newly built ribbons to your uniform as prescribed by the uniform regulations for your branch of service.
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