The Tennessee National Guard Professional Development Ribbon honors Tennessee National Guard members who satisfactorily complete a Primary, Basic, Advanced NCO Professional Development Course, a First Sergeants Course, or US Army Sergeant Major Academy.
The Tennessee National Guard consists of the Tennessee Army National Guard and the Tennessee Air National Guard. The Army component was founded in 1887, though it traces back to militia activity in the 1800s. The Air component originated in 1917 with the creation of the 105th Aero Squadron supporting World War I efforts; it currently has approximately 1,500 members and is based in Nashville.
The ribbon is gray and is bisected by a thick vertical red stripe; a thin blue stripe appears toward each edge.