I seen this image a lot, so I'll repeat what I often chime in with...

Uniform regulations where changed under president bush. It used to say you uniform would have 'all, some, or none' of your ribbons. Bush struck out some, or none, and made it to all. They started going around comparing your ribbon rack to your awards and punishing people who where out of date.

The general on the left is wearing the same number of ribbons I graduated basic training with. He is NOT wearing his basic training ribbons. The three ribbons he is wearing actually mean something. "all some or none" was meant to allow someone with out a ton of experience to wear a few ribbons to fit in with the group better, and to allow those with a ton of experience to pick a few that stood out but not show off and brag to others.

Also, lots of awards go to everyone in the group who participates in something. If you have 20 dudes go do something bad ass all 20 of them, and thier leaders get the ribbon. 'leadership' tends to have full ribbon racks now under the new policies and I think that was intentional.

The old regs where about unit cohesion and uniformity, new regs are all about look at my chest, you will respect my authority!! In the past you could tell a lot about a soldier, who they are and what they do by what ribbons they choose to wear. Now you know a lot about where a soldier has been, and how long they have been around by what ribbons they are required to wear.

North Korea: