The North Carolina National Guard Service Ribbon honors North Carolina National Guard members who honorably carry out five years of service.
The North Carolina National Guard is composed of the North Carolina Army National Guard and the North Carolina Air National Guard, numbering approximately 12,000 soldiers and airmen.The Army component is among the oldest in the country, dating back to a state militia formed through the Carolina Charter in 1663; it is headquartered in Raleigh. The Air component was formed in 1948 with the 156th Fighter Squadron and is currently based in Raleigh as well.
The ribbon is divided equally into vertical stripes in the following sequence from right to left: blue, gray, red, white, blue, gray, red, white, blue, gray, red, white, blue.