Placement of Dress Blue Ribbons and Badges Usaf

Military badges of the U.S. Air Force

Badges earned by a U.S. Air Force officer from the 308th Rescue Squadron, circa 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.^[1]

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. Occupational badges are normally issued in basic, senior, and master level for officers. 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. A star and wreath system, worn above the Air Force badge, denotes which degree or skill level a service member currently holds.^[1]

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. Unless otherwise stated, the badges listed below are presented in order of precedence. Precedence of badges within the same category depends on the airman's current assignment.^[1] ^[2]

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.^[1] ^[3]

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 [edit]

Sources:^[1] ^[4]

Aeronautical Rating Badges [edit]

Aircrew Badges [edit]

Joint Service Qualification Badges [edit]

As of 17 January 2014, Airmen are authorized to wear any qualification/skill badge they have earned on Air Force uniforms. The qualification badges listed below are joint badges that are specifically awarded by the Air Force as well as other services.^[1] ^[4]

Occupational Badges [edit]

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.^[1] ^[6]

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 [edit]

Cyberspace Operator Badge*
Multi-Domain Warfare Officer Badge^[8]
Weather and Environmental Sciences Officer Badge^[9]
Meteorologist Badge
Operations Research Analyst Badge^[10]
Information Operations Badge^[11]
Operations Support Badge
Command and Control Badge
Air Traffic Control Badge
Radar, Airfield, & Weather Systems Badge
Intelligence Badge*
Safety Badge^[12]

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.^[13]

Logistics Career Group [edit]

Munitions Badge^[14]
Maintenance Badge
Logistics Readiness Badge
Supply and Fuels Badge
Transportation Badge
Logistics Plans Badge

Support Career Group [edit]

Administration Badge
Cyberspace Support Badge (Enlisted)*
Band Badge
Public Affairs Badge
Historian Badge
Manpower and Personnel Badge (Enlisted)
Civil Engineer Badge*
Services Badge (Enlisted)
Force Support Badge (Officer)
Force Protection Badge

Professional Career Group [edit]

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

Acquisition Career Group [edit]

Acquisition and Financial Management Badge*

Medical Career Group [edit]

Reporting Identifiers [edit]

Scientific Applications Specialist Badge^[15]

Duty Badges [edit]

Sources:^[1]

Duty Tabs [edit]

Authorized duty identifier tabs (worn on upper left sleeve)^[1]
Current duty	Approved tab/patch
Current duty	Infrared	Spice brown
Advanced Air Advisor Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
Air Advisor Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
Air Mobility Liaison Officer	AMLO	AMLO
Air Traffic Control	ATC	ATC
Avionics	AVI	AVI
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear	CBRN	CBRN
Combat Aviation Advisor (Tab version authorized for permanent wear)
	CAA	CAA
Combat Controller	CCT	CCT
Contingency Response	CR	CR
Combat Rescue Officer	CRO	CRO
Deployable Aircraft Ground Response Element	DAGRE	DAGRE
Egress Systems	EJECT	EJECT
Electrical and Environmental Systems	E/E	E/E
Explosive Ordnance Disposal	EOD	EOD
Fire Protection	FIRE	FIRE
Force Protection	FP	FP
Foreign Area Officer	FAO	FAO
Forward Area Refueling Point	FARP	FARP
Hydraulic Systems	HYDRO	HYDRO
Independent Duty Medical Technician	IDMT	IDMT
Joint Air Component Coordination Element	JACCE	JACCE
Low Observable Structures	LO	LO
Medical	MED	MED
Office of Special Investigations	OSI	OSI
Pararescue	PJ	PJ
Personnel	PRSNL	PRSNL
Security Forces	SF	SF
Services	SVS	SVS
Staff Weather Officer	SWO	SWO
Special Tactics Officer	STO	STO
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape	SERE	SERE
Tactical Air Control Party	TACP	TACP
Tactical Call Sign (e.g. A01)	HR44	HR44
Traffic Management	TMO	TMO
Weapons	WPNS	WPNS
First Sergeant	1SGT	1SGT
Structural	3E3	3E3

Award Badges [edit]

Sources:^[1] ^[17]

Notes [edit]

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

References [edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j AFI36-2903: Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, dated 15 March 2021, last accessed 20 July 2021
^ 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
^ 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
^ ^a ^b AFI11-402: Aviation and Parachutist Service, Aeronautical Ratings and Badges Archived 2014-01-12 at the Wayback Machine; dated 13 December 2010, updated 5 February 2013, last accessed 11 January 2014
^ First Air Force Dive Course Graduates 17 Airmen, U.S. Air Force Official Website, posted 16 March 2006, last accessed 13 April 2013
^ 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
^ "US Space Force Uniform & Accessories Store". |title=USA Military Medals Space Force rank/badge category
^ 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/
^ 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
^ Air Force creates new AFSC for operations research analyst officers, Air Force News, dated 15 May 2020, last accessed 4 June 2020
^ 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
^ U.S. Air Force Heraldry, Badges, Air Force Safety, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 17 August 2021, last accessed 22 August 2021
^ Air Force Special Operations Command, Special Tactics Units Archived 2013-01-02 at the Wayback Machine; accessed August 21, 2011
^ 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
^ 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
^ AFI31-122, Department of the Air Force Civilian Police/Security Guard (DAFCP/SG) Program, e-publishing.af.mil, dated 31 JULY 2015, last accessed 16 January 2017
^ AFI34-143: Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) Archived 2014-01-12 at the Wayback Machine, dated 21 Feb 12, last accessed 11 January 2014

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badges_of_the_United_States_Air_Force