Both the Air Force and the Coast Guard offer decorations for exceptional recruits who graduate at the top of their basic training classes.  The Coast Guard created their Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon in March of 1984.  These military awards are bestowed upon those service members who graduate in the top three percent of their basic training instruction class.  These military ribbons may be awarded retroactively upon application from a service member to the Coast Guard, but supporting documentation and a written request must be supplied for the request to be granted.  The Coast Guard has no corresponding military medals for these awards.

Due to the one-time-only nature of graduating from basic training, there are no provisions for additional awards of the Coast Guard Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon.  These military ribbons are worn below the Coast Guard Restricted Duty Ribbon and above the Philippine Defense Medal in the order of precedence for all military awards.   The Restricted Duty Ribbon is available as a lapel pin, and in both the traditional slide on or custom thin ribbon configurations.