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Badges of the United States Army

Military decorations issued by the United States Department of the Army

Summary

Military decorations issued by the United States Department of the Army

Example of badges and tabs worn on the U.S. Army [[Operational Camouflage Pattern]] (OCP) uniform

Badges of the United States Army are military decorations issued by the United States Department of the Army to soldiers who achieve a variety of qualifications and accomplishments while serving on active and reserve duty in the United States Army.

As described in Army Regulation 670-1 Uniforms and Insignia, badges are categorized into marksmanship, combat and special skill, identification, and foreign. Combat and Special Skill badges are further divided into six groups.

A total of six combat and special skill badges are authorized for wear at one time on service and dress uniforms; this total does not include special skill tabs (service uniform) or special skill tab metal replicas (dress uniform).

Personnel may wear up to three badges above the ribbons or pocket flap on dress uniforms, or in a similar location for uniforms without pockets. Personnel may only wear one combat or special skill badge from either group 1 or group 2 above the ribbons. Soldiers may wear up to three badges from groups 3 and 4 above the ribbons. One badge from either group 1 or group 2 may be worn with badges from groups 3 and 4 above the ribbons, so long as the total number of badges above the ribbons does not exceed three.

Only three badges (from groups 3, 4, or 5) can be worn on the dress uniform pocket flap at one time. This total does not include special skill tab metal replicas. Personnel will wear the driver and mechanic badges only on the wearer's left pocket flap of service and dress uniforms, or in a similar location on uniforms without pockets. Personnel may not attach more than three clasps to the driver and mechanic badges. The driver and mechanic badges are not authorized for wear on utility uniforms.

The order of precedence for combat and special skill badges are established only by group. There is no precedence for combat or special skill badges within the same group. For example, personnel who are authorized to wear the Parachutist and Air Assault badges may determine the order of wear between those two badges.

The 21st century United States Army issues the following military badges (listed below in order of group precedence) which are worn in conjunction with badges of rank and branch insignia.

Combat and Special Skill Badges and Tabs

Source:

Group 1

File:US Army Master Combat Infantryman Badge.png|Master Combat Infantryman Badge File:US Army Master Combat Medical Badge.png|Master Combat Medical Badge File:U.S. Army Master Combat Action Badge SVG.svg|Master Combat Action Badge File:Combat Infantry Badge.svg|Combat Infantryman Badge File:Combat Medical Badge, 1st award.svg|Combat Medical Badge File:Combat Action Badge.svg|Combat Action Badge

Group 2

File:Expert Infantry Badge.svg|Expert Infantryman Badge File:ExpertMedBadge.gif|Expert Field Medical Badge File:Expert Soldier Badge.svg|Expert Soldier Badge

Group 3

File:US Army Aviator Badge.png|Army Aviator Badge File:ArmyFltSurg.gif|Army Flight Surgeon Badge File:US Army Aviation Badge.png|Army Aviation Badge File:Army Astronaut Device and Badge.png|Army Astronaut Badges (Any Army Aviator, Flight Surgeon, or Aviation Badge with Astronaut Device) File:En-NavyEODPin.jpg|Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge* File:PRigger.gif|Parachute Rigger Badge*

Group 4

File:US Military Basic Military Parachutist Badge.png|Parachutist Badge* File:Pathfinder.gif|Pathfinder Badge File:AirAssault.gif|Air Assault Badge File:USASOC Military Free Fall Parachute Badge.jpg|Military Freefall Parachutist Badge* File:Basic Space Badge.jpg|Space Badge** File:US Military 2nd Class Diver Badge.jpg|(Non-special operations) Diver badges (SCUBA, salvage diver, etc.) File:SFDiver.PNG|Special Operations Diver Badge File:US Army Mountaineering Badge.png|Mountaineering Badge File:SpecialForcesTabMetal.jpg|Special Forces Tab File:Ranger Tab - Dress Metal.png|Ranger Tab File:Sapper Tab Metal.png|Sapper Tab

Group 5

File:DandMBadge (Small).jpg|Driver and Mechanic Badge Main article: Marksmanship badges (United States)

File:US Army Presidents 100 Metal Tab.png|President's Hundred Tab File:THE DISTINGUISHED INTERNATIONAL SHOOTER BADGE.jpg|Distinguished International Shooter Badge File:Distinguished Marksmanship Badges.png|Distinguished Shooter Badges File:Drawing of the US Military Interservice Competition Badge.png|Interservice Competition Badges File:US Army EIC Badges.png|Excellence-In-Competition Badges File:Armyqual.jpg|Marksmanship Qualification Badges

Identification Badges

Main article: Identification badges of the Uniform Services of the United States

File:United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png|Army Staff Identification Badge File:TombUN.gif|Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge File:US Army Military Horseman Identification Badge.png|Military Horseman Identification Badge File:US Army Master Gunner Identification Badge.png|Master Gunner Identification Badge File:DrillInstructBadge.gif|Drill Sergeant Identification Badge File:US Army Instructor ID Badge.png|Instructor Identification Badges File:US Army Silver Recruiter Badge.png|Army Recruiter Badges File:Career Counselor Badge.gif|Career Counselor Badge File:US Army Inspector General Identification Badge.png|Army Inspector General Identification Badge File:USA - Army MP Badge.png|Military Police Identification Badge File:United States Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent Badge.png|Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent Badge File:Acinewbadge.png|Counterintelligence Special Agent Badge File:Combat-Service-Identification-Badges.jpg|Combat Service Identification Badges

Other Accoutrements

File:ASU overseas service bar.jpg|Overseas Service Bars File:Service stripe.jpg|Service Stripes

National Guard Badges

File:Chiefs 50 Marksmanship Badge.png|Chief's 50 Marksmanship Badge File:Missouri Adjutant Generals 20 Combat Badge.png|Adjutant General's Twenty Combat Badge (MO NG) File:ArmyNationalGuardRecruiter.jpg|Army National Guard Recruiter & Retention Badges File:National Guard Bureau Organizational Badge.png|National Guard Bureau Organizational Badge

Master combat badges

In late 2024 it was reported that "master combat badges" would debut in Spring 2025; the Master Combat Infantryman Badge (MCIB), Master Combat Medical Badge (MCMB), and Master Combat Action Badge (MCAB). The badges would represent those who have earned both a combat badge (CIB, CMB, or CAB) and an expert badge (EIB, EFMB, or ESB). The various master combat badges appear identical to their respective combat badges save for coloration; The silver wreaths on the full-color metal combat badges are replaced with gold wreaths on the master combat badges. The black wreaths of the subdued metal pin-on badges and sew-on badges black are also replaced with gold. Soldiers that have earned a combat badge but a "separate" expert badge (a CIB and an EFMB, for example) wear the master badge aligning with their combat badge (in the case of a CIB and an EFMB, the awardee would wear the MCIB). In March 2025, the Army confirmed the master combat badges would be available via the Army & Air Force Exchange Service from 21 March 2025 onward.

Proposed badges

Mariner Badge

Mariner Badges
[[File:US Army Mariner Badge Basic.png	center	frameless	222x222px	US Army Mariner Badge Basic]]

In October 2024, Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Michael Weimer reported that a badge for Army mariners would be instituted. SMA Weimer stated that that Soldiers serving on Army watercraft and ships would be eligible for the badge. On 20 March 2025, the badge design was unveiled publicly and it is set to be named the "Mariner Badge." The U.S. Army's Institute of Heraldry has until 19 May 2025 to alter the proposed design. The badge is intended to come in three versions; "basic," "senior," and "master," with the Army only releasing images of the "basic" version of the badge as of 20 March 2025. The basic, senior, and master Mariner Badges will be considered Department of the Army "identification badges" (similar to the Drill Sergeant Identification Badge or Master Gunner Identification Badge) and their wear and precedence will be regulated by AR 600-8-22 and AR 670-1. On March 16, 2025 the Army released message ALARACT 025/2025 about the new badges and on March 24, 2025 Task and Purpose reported that the Institute of Heraldry had released the three designs.

Notes

- = also issued to Air Force airmen
** = also issued to airmen and Space Force guardians
No asterisk indicates that the badge is issued only to soldiers

References

(2021-01-26). "Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Chapter 22". [[Department of the Army]].
(2021-01-26). "Army Pamphlet 670-1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Chapter 22, Section 16, Paragraph a". [[Department of the Army]].
(2021-01-26). "Army Pamphlet 670–1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Chapter 22, Section 16, Paragraph c". [[Department of the Army]].
[[United States Army]]. (March 2025). "ALARACT 025/2025". [[Department of the Army]].
[http://www.ngbpdc.ngb.army.mil/pubs/672/ngr672_3.pdf National Guard Regulation 672-3 and Air National Guard Regulation 900-1, National Guard Chief's 50 Marksmanship Badge] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-05-31 , dated 1 February 1978, last accessed 26 March 2014)
[http://www.arng.army.mil/News/Pages/TabsandBadgesaMeasureofMissouriGuardmembers'Marksmansip.aspx Tabs and Badges a Measure of Missouri Guardmembers' Marksmanship] {{webarchive. link. (March 12, 2011 , Missouri National Guard Public Affairs, by Ann Keyes, last accessed 1 March 2015)
[http://www.moguard.com/12-14-10-tabs-and-badges-a-measure-of-marksmanship.html Tabs and Badges a Measure of Marksmanship] {{Webarchive. link. (2014-05-18 , Missouri National Guard, dated 14 December 2010, last accessed 18 May 2014)
"Army Set to Debut Master Combat Badges in Spring, Memo Says".
(October 16, 2024). "Army to award Master Combat Badge to expert, combat-tested soldiers".
(March 17, 2025). "Army Master Combat Badges".
(October 21, 2024). "New Army Mountaineering Badge".
(March 20, 2025). "Army unveils new Mariner and Mountaineer Badges".
Schogol, Jeff. (2025-03-24). "Here’s the origin of the Army's ‘Red Wing’ design on the Mariner Badges".

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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