Last Revised: 29 Oct 2020
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SAR Badge
The SAR badge is an eight-point Maltese cross in white enamel with a gold ball at each point. The center of the cross features a gold medallion whose obverse bears a profile of George Washington surrounded by the motto, “Libertas et Patria” (Liberty and Country) on blue enamel. The reverse of the medallion has a figure of a minuteman surrounded by the legend, “Sons of the American Revolution”. The arms of the cross are supported by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a gold eagle, which is suspended from a ribbon by a golden ring.
The design of this badge was approved in December 1889 and is based on the badges of the Military Order of Saint Louis, founded by King Louis XIV in 1693 to honor faithful military service, and the Legion of Honor, founded by Napoleon in 1803 to reward civil and military service. The SAR Badge is available in both full and miniature sizes.
A national officer or a state president, incumbent or past, may have the SAR Badge jeweled by the insertion of a diamond in the space between the talons of the eagle and the upper arm of the cross.
Additional information is available on the National Society’s webpage: SAR Member Badge.
Members may wear the SAR Badge described above on the left breast of a jacket from a chest ribbon, while current or former General Officers, National Trustees, and State Society or Chapter Presidents may wear the SAR Badge suspended from a neck ribbon. The chest and neck ribbons are of the SAR colors, with a deep blue center flanked by buff and white stripes.
When the SAR Badge is suspended from the chest ribbon, it is worn on the left breast of the dinner jacket, business suit coat, or blazer with the top of the ribbon clasp four inches below the midpoint of the shoulder seam of the coat. Supplemental stars (see below) are the only authorized insignia to be worn on the chest ribbon.
When the SAR Badge is suspended from a neck ribbon, the only authorized insignia to be worn on the neck ribbon are supplemental stars and approved NSSAR officer emblems. In order of precedence, these are: former President General pin, the Vice President General pin, the National Trustee pin, the Past State Society President pin, and the Past Chapter President pin. No more than three NSSAR officer emblems may be worn on the neck ribbon. The emblem with the highest precedence is worn near the “V” or honor point of the neck ribbon. If the wearer is authorized to wear two emblems, the second emblem in precedence is worn on the ribbon to the wear’s right of center; the third emblem, when authorized, is worn on the wearer’s left. State insignia are not authorized for wear on the neck ribbon.
The SAR badge suspended from the neck ribbon is intended for wear with a coat and tie. It should be worn over the tie and under the turned over collar and drawn up to within one inch below the bow or four-in hand tie in business or formal attire.
If a second neck ribbon is worn, i.e. the Minuteman Award, it is worn so that the top of the second medal is one inch below the SAR Badge on the first ribbon. The neck ribbon on one society may be worn with the broad sash and/or star of another society. More than two neck ribbons (military and/or other societies) may be worn but is discouraged.
The full-sized SAR Badge should only be worn at functions of the National Society, State Society or Chapter or when representing the SAR. It may also be worn during the funeral of an SAR member or at the dedication of a grave marker for a deceased SAR member.
The rosette is a small tightly folded circle of ribbon of the Society’s colors not exceeding 7/16th of an inch in diameter. It may be worn by all members, at their discretion, on the left lapel of the jacket, daily if desired, during business or social hours. It is only worn on a coat lapel, or tropical shirt collar, but not on an overcoat. A rosette is commonly presented to a new member at the time of his induction into the society.
Except in France, the rosette is informal and therefore is not appropriate for formal wear. A fraternal or other organization badge may be worn with the rosette, but is strongly discouraged. The rosette should never be worn when wearing the SAR Badge.
The board sash is a wide silk ribbon of the society’s colors worn by current and former general officers when in formal dress. It is worn extending from the right shoulder to the left hip. The sash for a current or former President General is three and one-half inches wide; for all other officers, it is two and one-half inches wide.
The Society President badge is a one and one-half inch diameter octagon with a gold Liberty Bell surrounded by a matching chain of thirteen links, symbolic of the original colonies, centered on a black background with the inscription “Society President.” It was authorized in 1997.
A society may purchase a SAR Society President badge to be worn by the incumbent society president. The badge may be worn only on the SAR neck ribbon, suspended from the center point in place of the society president’s SAR badge. The Society President badge should be transferred to the new society president by the installing officer during the installation ceremony for newly elected society officers. Former society presidents are not authorized to wear this badge.
The supplemental star is a gold, one-quarter inch diameter, five-pointed star used to denote additional or supplemental Revolutionary War ancestors that have been approved by the National Society. Supplemental stars may be display on the SAR chest or neck ribbon. Placement of a star on the neck ribbon should alternate back and forth on the arms of the neck ribbon starting on the wearer’s left and above any emblems the wearer is authorized to display.
A larger supplemental star is available to denote five approved supplemental ancestors. This star is gold, one-half inch in diameter, with a flat area with the numeral 5 and may be worn in lieu of five regular supplemental stars.
The Vice President General pin, authorized in 1990, consists of a profile of John Adams, the first Vice President of the United States, and the words, “Vice President General” in black on a gold background. An incumbent or former Vice President General may wear the pin on the neck ribbon as described above or on the left lapel of the day suit coat in lieu of the SAR rosette.
The National Trustee pin, authorized in 1987, consists of a gold SAR badge without the eagle with a gold scroll beneath bearing in black letters the word “Trustee.” An incumbent or former National Trustee may wear the Trustee Pin on the neck ribbon as described above or on the left lapel of the day suit coat in lieu of the SAR rosette. Alternate trustees are not entitled to wear the National Trustee pin unless they have served as a trustee.
Former state society or chapter presidents may wear special emblems on the neck ribbon as described above. The designs, which display the SAR badge, are the same except the former State Society President pin has a blue background while the former Chapter President pin is crafted with a red background. Either of these pins may also be worn on the left lapel of the day suit coat in lieu of the SAR rosette.
A Former President General is entitled to wear a distinctive starburst badge suspended from the center point of the neck ribbon in place of the SAR badge. In lieu of the former Presidents General badge, a former President General is authorized to wear pin based on the design of this badge on his neck ribbon. This pin may also be worn on the left lapel of the day suit coat in lieu of the SAR rosette.
The Aide-de-Camp pin is used to designate and recognize those who serve as aides-de-camp to the President General or his First Lady during his term of office. The appointments of Aides-de- Camp are made by the President General to designate compatriots to assist him and his First Lady during trips, meetings or events.
The pin consists of a one inch gold shield styled after the Washington Family Crest topped by an emblem representing the SAR insignia.
The recipient may wear the pin on the left lapel of his coat or jacket while ACTIVELY serving as the Aide-de-Camp to the President General or his First Lady. Once no longer serving in this capacity, the recipient may wear it on his right chest, indicating past service to the President General or his First Lady.
The membership awards consist of a lapel pin, gold in color, about 1/2 inch in diameter and a certificate that recognizes five years (and five-year multiples) of paid membership in the SAR, regardless of any change in chapters or societies. The award (pin and certificate) should be purchased and presented by either the chapter or state society, but may be purchased by individual members. These awards, authorized in 1984, may be worn on the lapel of a suit or tuxedo.
The George Washington Fellow Pin, the Outstanding Citizenship Pin, Life Membership Pin, Eagle Scout Pin and the SAR Library Donor Pin are authorized for wear on the lapel of a suit or tuxedo to inform the public about the SAR honors conferred. State Society pins may also be worn. It is strongly recommended that only one pin be worn. A pin should not be worn with the rosette.
The SAR Logo is copyrighted. Its use by any SAR State Society or Chapter other than for approved SAR purposes requires the approval of the Medals and Awards Committee and the NSSAR Executive Committee.
The seal of the Society consists of a figure of a Minuteman grasping a musket in his right hand in the act of deserting his plow for the service of his country, surrounded by a constellation of thirteen stars encircled by a band within which appears the legend, “The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, organized April 30, 1889.”
The official SAR flag consists of three vertical bars of blue, white and buff – the blue to be at the staff end. Upon the center or white bar is the insignia of the Society and the name, “The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.” SAR flags of nylon (3′ x 5′) are available from National Headquarters. Every state society and chapter should possess an SAR flag, in addition to a matching fifty-star American flag.