The Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon was established by order of Secretary of the Navy John Dalton on July 15, 1997. The award recognizes those Marine Corps personnel who have served as Security Guards and is retroactive to January 28, 1949.

To be awarded the Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon, a service member must hold the Marine Corps military occupational specialty 8151 (Marine Corps Security Guard) and must have served twenty-four months of service at a foreign shore installation. The award is primarily intended for United States Embassy guards in foreign countries, but is awarded for any Marine security guard in a foreign country.

Additional awards of the Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon are denoted by service stars except for those awards which are retroactively presented, in which case the Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon is a one time only decoration.

See also: Awards and decorations of the United States military