United States Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword
The Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword is a sword worn by noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and staff noncommissioned officers (SNCOs) of the United States Marine Corps. The NCO sword was adopted in 1859 and is patterned after the United States Army's foot officers' sword of 1850. The M1859 NCO sword continues service today as the Marine Corps drill and ceremonial sword. The sword's use is restricted by regulation to ceremonial occasions by an NCO or Staff NCO in command of troops under arms or at weddings and wedding receptions where at least one of those being married is in uniform and has the rank of Corporal or higher.
Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon
Recently, Marine Corps Embassy Security Group has begun to award the MSG Ribbon to Regional Command Staff as well without the prerequisite of serving as an 8156, to include Regional Inspecting Officers, which has created a controversy based on the belief that there is an intentional bias towards awarding the Regional Officers and Command Staff, while at the same time not awarding the ribbon to the junior Marines residing in the same geographical location within the same command.