My Rack Grew By 50% Today

This is my new "rack." It used to consist of a "Navy Good Conduct Medal" (left) and a "National Defense Medal" (middle). As of today I discovered that I am elegable to wear the "Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon" (right)


(See http://www.gruntsmilitary.com/nssd.shtml)

It's kind of hard to believe that I did 8 years of active Navy service and I end up with three medals/ribbons. My son Cameron has served in the Army for 8 months... all of these in ***traning commands*** and he has ***4*** medals/ribbons.

Could someone please explain this to me?

Could it be that the Army/Air Force gives out its medals/ribbons as the prize in a McDonalds Happy Meal?