The Pennsylvania National Guard Distinguished Service Medal honors Pennsylvania National Guard members who carry out exceptional service in excess of normal expectations.
Made up of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, the Pennsylvania National Guard is among the largest state guards in the US. The Army component, headquartered in Harrisburg, dates back to a 1747 militia founded by Benjamin Franklin that went by the name “the Associators.” The Air component, based in Annville, traces its roots back to 1924, when the 103d Observation Squadron was formed.
The ribbon features a thick white central section flanked on either side by a thin vertical red stripe and a thick vertical blue stripe proceeding outward.