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Badges of the United States Air Force

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(Redirected from Air Force Medical Badge) Military badges of the U.S. Air Force
Badges earned by an Air Force officer from the 308th Rescue Squadron (2008)
Air Force skill level badge symbols

Badges of the United States Air Force are specific uniform insignia authorized by the United States Air Force that signify aeronautical ratings, special skills, career field qualifications, and serve as identification devices for personnel occupying certain assignments.

Most Air Force badges are awarded in three degrees or skill levels. Aeronautical rating badges for pilots, combat systems officers, observers, and air battle managers are awarded at basic, senior, and command levels; while flight nurses and flight surgeons are awarded ratings at the basic, senior, and chief levels. All other aviation badges are awarded at the basic, senior, and master levels. Air Force occupational badges are normally issued in basic, senior, and master level for officers. A star and wreath system, worn above the Air Force badge, denotes which degree or skill level a service member currently holds. Previously, enlisted wear the basic badge after completing technical school, the senior badge after award of the 7-skill level, and the master badge as a master sergeant or above with 5 years in the specialty from award of the 7-skill level. For non-rated commissioned officers, the basic badge is awarded after completion of technical training, the senior badge after 7-years in their respective AFSC, and master at 15-years. Now most career field CFETPs denote the requirements for awarding each level.

Chaplain, aeronautical, space, cyberspace, and missile operations badges, along with the Air Force Commander's Insignia are mandatory for wear on Air Force uniforms. With the most recent changes to Air Force uniform regulations, restrictions have been lifted on the wear of other service's skill badges that airman have earned. Precedence of badges within the same category depends on the airman's current assignment.

The Air Force is the most restrictive service with regards to which Air Force badges may be worn on the uniforms by other branches of the US Armed Forces. Most badges issued exclusively by the Air Force may only be displayed on Air Force uniforms. The exception to this rule is the Space Operations Badge.

The Air Force previously authorized continued use of a number of aviation badges originally issued by the U.S. Army during World War II. Such badges are no longer authorized and are now categorized as obsolete badges.

Aviation Badges

Sources:

Aeronautical Rating Badges

Aircrew Badges

Occupational Badges

An Air Force Occupational Badge is a military badge of the United States Air Force which is awarded to those members of the Air Force community who are engaged in duties "other than flying". The purpose of the Air Force Occupational Badge is to denote and recognize training, education and qualifications received in a particular career field and to provide recognition in an outwardly displayed badge.

The first Air Force Occupational Badges began appearing on Air Force uniforms in the late 1950s. Prior to this time, the only Air Force badges authorized were the Pilot Badge and other aeronautical rating badges, such as the Navigator Badge and Flight Surgeon Badge.

Operations Career Group

  • Space Operations Badges (Basic, Senior, and Master/Command)* Space Operations Badges (Basic, Senior, and Master/Command)*
  • Cyberspace Operator Badge* Cyberspace Operator Badge*
  • Cyber Systems Operations Badge (Enlisted)* Cyber Systems Operations Badge (Enlisted)*
  • Multi-Domain Warfare Officer Badge Multi-Domain Warfare Officer Badge
  • Weather and Environmental Sciences Officer Badge Weather and Environmental Sciences Officer Badge
  • Meteorologist Badge Meteorologist Badge
  • Operations Research Analyst Badge Operations Research Analyst Badge
  • Information Operations Badge Information Operations Badge
  • Operations Support Badge Operations Support Badge
  • Command and Control Badge Command and Control Badge
  • Weapons Director Badge Weapons Director Badge
  • Air Traffic Control Badge Air Traffic Control Badge
  • Missile Operations Badge Missile Operations Badge
  • Radar, Airfield, & Weather Systems Badge Radar, Airfield, & Weather Systems Badge
  • Intelligence Badge* Intelligence Badge*
  • Safety Badge Safety Badge

The following operations insignia are worn as beret crests on specific Air Force berets instead of the left breast of Air Force uniforms. Both the breast insignia and the following beret crests signify the same thing, an Air Force specialty.

Logistics Career Group

  • Munitions Badge Munitions Badge
  • Maintenance Badge Maintenance Badge
  • Missile Maintenance Badge Missile Maintenance Badge
  • Logistics Readiness Badge Logistics Readiness Badge
  • Supply and Fuels Badge Supply and Fuels Badge
  • Transportation Badge Transportation Badge
  • Logistics Plans Badge Logistics Plans Badge

Support Career Group

  • Administration Badge Administration Badge
  • Band Badge Band Badge
  • Public Affairs Badge Public Affairs Badge
  • Historian Badge Historian Badge
  • Manpower and Personnel Badge (Enlisted) Manpower and Personnel Badge (Enlisted)
  • Emergency Management Badge Emergency Management Badge
  • Civil Engineer Badge Civil Engineer Badge
  • Services Badge (Enlisted) Services Badge (Enlisted)
  • Force Support Badge (Officer) Force Support Badge (Officer)
  • Force Protection Badge Force Protection Badge

Professional Career Group

  • Judge Advocate Badge Judge Advocate Badge
  • Chaplain Badges (These badges have precedence over all other badges and are mandatory to wear.) Chaplain Badges (These badges have precedence over all other badges and are mandatory to wear.)
  • Paralegal Badge (Enlisted) Paralegal Badge (Enlisted)
  • Religious Affairs Airmen Badge (Enlisted) Religious Affairs Airmen Badge (Enlisted)

Acquisition Career Group

  • Acquisition and Financial Management Badge* Acquisition and Financial Management Badge*

Medical Career Group

Reporting Identifiers

  • Scientific Applications Specialist Badge Scientific Applications Specialist Badge

Miscellaneous Badges

As of 17 January 2014, Airmen are authorized to wear any qualification/skill badge they have earned on Air Force uniforms. With the exception of the new Air Force Combat Diver Badges, the other qualification badges listed in this section are specifically awarded by the Air Force as well as other armed services of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Duty Badges

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

Sources:

Tabs

Authorized identifier tabs (worn on upper–left sleeve of combat uniforms)
Duty/Qualification Approved tab/patch
Infrared Spice
brown
Administration ADMIN ADMIN
Advanced Air Advisor Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
Advanced Fighter Aircraft Integrated Avionics TECH TECH
Aerospace Ground Equipment AGE AGE
Aerospace Physiology Enterprise PHYS PHYS
Aerospace Propulsion ENGS ENGS
Air Advisor Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
Air Battle Manager ABM ABM
Air Transportation PORT PORT
Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance A-ISR A-ISR
Aircraft Armament Systems WPNS WPNS
Aircraft Electric & Environmental Systems E⚡️E E⚡️E
Aircraft Fuel Systems FUELS FUELS
Aircraft Hydraulic Systems HYDRO HYDRO
Aircraft Maintenance MX MX
Aircraft Metals Technology MTECH MTECH
Aircraft Structural Maintenance ASM ASM
Aircrew Egress Systems EJECT EJECT
Aircrew Flight Equipment AFE AFE
Airfield Management AFLD AFLD
Airman Dorm Leader ADL ADL
Air Force Special Warfare Mission Support SWMS SWMS
Air Mobility Liaison Officer AMLO AMLO
Air Launched Cruise Missile Maintenance ALCM ALCM
Air Traffic Control ATC ATC
Arctic Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
Aviation Resource Management AVMGT AVMGT
Avionics AVI AVI
Avionics Test Station and Equipment AIS AIS
Backshop Avionics PODs PODS PODS
Base Defense Group BDG BDG
Career Assistance Advisor CA CA
Civil Engineer CE CE
Career Enlisted Aviator CEA CEA
Chaplains, Religious Affairs HC HC
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear CBRN CBRN
Combat Aviation Advisor (Tab version authorized for permanent wear)
CAA CAA
Combat Controller CCT CCT
Command and Control Battle Management Operations C2BMO C2BMO
Command and Control Operations C2OPS C2OPS
Combat Aviation Advisor (With documented SEI, authorized for permanent wear) CAA CAA
Combat Controller CCT CCT
Combat Rescue Officer CRO CRO
Contingency Response CR CR
Contingency Contracting Officer CCO CCO
Contracting Utilization Field PK PK
Cyber career fields (AFSCs: 1D7XX, 17DXA, 17SXX) CYBER CYBER
Deployable Aircraft Ground Response Element DAGRE DAGRE
Development and Training D&T D&T
Developmental Engineering Utilization Field EN EN
Director/Commander/Command Chief Executive Assistants EXEC EXEC
Education and Training TRNG TRNG
Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer EPLO EPLO
Electric Power Production POWER POWER
Electrical Systems ELEC ELEC
Engineering ENGR ENGR
Equal Opportunity EO EO
Expeditionary Air Ground Liaison Element EAGLE EAGLE
Expeditionary Communications (AFSCs: 1D7XXW, 17DXB) XCOMM XCOMM
Explosive Ordnance Disposal EOD EOD
Financial Management & Comptroller FM FM
Fire Protection (Note: authorized on two-piece flight duty uniform only) FIRE FIRE
First Sergeant 1SGT 1SGT
Force Protection FP FP
Foreign Area Officer FAO FAO
Forward Area Refueling Point FARP FARP
Fuel (Petroleum) POL POL
Ground Transportation GT GT
Heating, Ventilation, Air-condition & Refrigeration HVACR HVACR
High Frequency Global Communications Systems HFGCS HFGCS
Independent Duty Medical Technician IDMT IDMT
Information Operations PSYOP PSYOP
Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance ISR ISR
International Enlisted Engagements Manager IEEM IEEM
Joint Air Component Coordination Element JACCE JACCE
Judge Advocate General Corps JAGC JAGC
Logistics Plans PLNR PLNR
Maintenance Management Analysis, Maintenance Management Production MXMGR MXMGR
Manpower MNPWR MNPWR
Master Resilience Trainers MRT MRT
Material Management SUP SUP
Medical (Any provider, provider extender, nurse, or 4NXXX; Any medical AFSCs certified in TCCC tier II or higher) MED MED
Military Postal Service MPS MPS
Missile Alert Facility Manager MAFM MAFM
Missile & Space System Elect Maintenance, Missile & Space Systems Maintenance, Missile & Space Facilities 2MO 2MO
Mobility Combat Systems Officer CSO CSO
Multicapable Airman MCA MCA
Multi-Domain Command and Control 13O 130
Munitions and Missile Maintenance MUNS MUNS
Munitions Systems AMMO AMMO
Navigator NAV NAV
Nondestructive Inspection NDI NDI
Nuclear and Missile Operations, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Maintenance ICBM ICBM
Nuclear Weapons (Note: NUCMX and 2W2X1 patches also authorized) NUKES NUKES
Office of Special Investigations OSI OSI
Operations Management OPSMG OPSMG
Operations Research Analyst OR OR
Pararescue PJ PJ
Pavement & Construction Equipment DIRT DIRT
Personnel PRSNL PRSNL
Pest Management ENTO ENTO
Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory PMEL PMEL
Public Affairs (Note: CTCS identifier authorized for combat camera crews) PA PA
Combat Camera CTCS CTCS
Quality Assurance QA QA
Radar, Airfield, Weather Systems (Airfield and Radar Systems,

Radar Systems, Airfield Systems)

RAWS RAWS
Raven RAVEN RAVEN
Readiness NCO RNCO RNCO
Recce/Survey/Electronic Warfare Officer EWO EWO
Recce/Survey/Electronic Warfare Pilot, Mobility Pilot PILOT PILOT
Resilience Training Assistants RTA RTA
Safety SFTY SFTY
Scientific Utilization Field SCI SCI
Security Forces SF SF
Senior Contracting Official SCO SCO
Senior Material-Upper Echelon, Acquisition Utilization Field PM PM
Services SVS SVS
Sexual Assault Response Coordinator SARC SARC
Space Launch Maintenance SPACE SPACE
Special Reconnaissance SR SR
Special Tactics Officer STO STO
Staff Weather Officer SWO SWO
Structural 3E3 3E3
Staff Weather Officer SWO SWO
Special Tactics Officer STO STO
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape SERE SERE
Tactical Air Control Party TACP TACP
Tactical Aircraft Maintenance, Airlift/Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance, Refuel/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance APG APG
Tactical Aircraft Maintenance (5th Generation), Helicopter/Tiltrotor Aircraft Maintenance, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Maintenance MECH MECH
Tactical Call Sign (e.g. A01) HR44 B06
Test and Evaluation TEST TEST
Traffic Management TMO TMO
Unit Deployment Manager UDM UDM
Unlimited Warrant Contracting Officer UNLTD UNLTD
Verification and Checkout Equipment Maintenance VACE VACE
Vehicle Management VM VM
Water and Fuel Systems Maintenance WFSM WFSM
Weapons System Evaluation Program WSEP WSEP
Weather WX WX
Weather and Environmental Services Officer WESO WESO

* A black border denotes an AFSC designated as a "first responder" career field.

Award Badges

Sources:

Air National Guard Badges and Tabs

Notes

  • * = also issued to Space Force guardians
  • No asterisk indicates that the badge is only issued to airmen

See also

References

  1. ^ AFI36-2903: Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, dated 29 February 2024, last accessed 3 July 2024
  2. AF uniform policy update: welcome back morale t-shirts, badges and limitless athletic shoes, U.S. Air Force News, by Staff Sgt. David Salanitri, dated 20 January 2014, last accessed 15 March 2014
  3. SMDC-OPZ-FB, ASPDO Procedural Guide #1 - Procedures for Awarding the Space Badge to Army Space Cadre Personnel Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine, dated 15 Feb 11, accessed 16 Jan 12
  4. ^ Air Force Guidance Memorandum to Air Force Manual (AFMAN) 11-402, Aviation and Parachutist Service, U.S. Department of the Air Force, dated 13 September 2022, last accessed 8 October 2022
  5. AFI36-2101: Classifying Military Personnel (Officer and Enlisted) Archived 2014-01-12 at the Wayback Machine; dated 25 June 2013, updated 18 November 2013; last accessed 11 January 2014
  6. Design and Development of United States Air Force Multi-Domain Warfare Officer Occupational Badge, United States Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 2 March 2020, last accessed 10 August 202/
  7. Design and Development of United States Air Force Weather and Environmental Sciences Officer Badge, United States Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 3 November 2020, last accessed 15 November 2020
  8. Air Force creates new AFSC for operations research analyst officers, Air Force News, dated 15 May 2020, last accessed 4 June 2020
  9. MIL-DTL-3628/274A—DETAIL SPECIFICATION SHEET BADGE, OCCUPATION, INFORMATION OPERATION, U.S. AIR FORCE, Defense Logistics Agency, dated 9 April 2018, last accessed 19 April 2020
  10. U.S. Air Force Heraldry, Badges, Air Force Safety, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 17 August 2021, last accessed 22 August 2021
  11. Air Force Special Operations Command, Special Tactics Units Archived 2013-01-02 at the Wayback Machine; accessed August 21, 2011
  12. Design and Development of United States Air Force Munitions Occupational Badge, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 9 December 2019, last accessed 23 August 2020
  13. U.S. Air Force Heraldry, Badges, Air Force Scientific Applications Specialist, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 16 August 2021, last accessed 22 August 2021
  14. New Air Force combat dive badges approved, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs, posted 18 October 18 2022, last accessed 20 March 2023
  15. PACAF leaders promote Arctic Defense, Security Orientation course, U.S. Pacific Air Force, 673 Air Base Wing/Public Affairs, by SSgt Curt Beach, dated 25 February 2021, last accessed 11 September 2022
  16. AFI34-143: Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) Archived 2014-01-12 at the Wayback Machine, dated 21 Feb 12, last accessed 11 January 2014
  17. National Guard Regulation 672-3 and Air National Guard Regulation 900-1, National Guard Chief's 50 Marksmanship Badge Archived 2013-05-31 at the Wayback Machine, dated 1 February 1978, last accessed 26 March 2014
  18. Tabs and Badges a Measure of Missouri Guardmembers' Marksmanship Archived March 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Missouri National Guard Public Affairs, by Ann Keyes, last accessed 1 March 2015
  19. Tabs and Badges a Measure of Marksmanship Archived 2014-05-18 at the Wayback Machine, Missouri National Guard, dated 14 December 2010, last accessed 18 May 2014
  20. Texas National Guard Marksmanship Program, Governor's Twenty, Texas National Guard, updated 4 Aug 11, last accessed 13 Nov 11
  21. TXSG Team Wins First Place In 2009 Texas Adjutant General's Combat Pistol Sustainment Exercise Competition, Texas State Guard, by Maj. J. Michael Spraggins, dated 7 May 7, last accessed 27 June 2022
  22. Governor's 20 Sniper Competition 2014, Texas Military Forces, dated 12 January 2014, last accessed 19 January 2014
  23. Earning the Governor's Twenty Tab, By CPT Andrew J. Czaplicki, dated 7 August 2014, last accessed 10 January 2015
  24. Tabs and Badges a Measure of Marksmanship Archived 18 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Missouri National Guard, dated 14 December 2010, last accessed 18 May 2014
  25. National Guard Devices, by Eric Bush, last accessed 18 May 2014
  26. Arizona National Guard's top marksmen awarded Governor's Dozen, Army.mil, by SGT Wesley Parrell, dated 15 April 2016, last accessed 5 February 2017
  27. Top Iowa marksmen train fellow Red Bulls, Afghans at Torkham Gate, Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System, by Staff Sgt Ryan Matson, dated 11 March 2011, last accessed 28 February 2015
  28. US Space Force Uniform & Accessories Store, usamm.com, last accessed 29 August 2022
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