thumb|right|250px|Badges earned by an Air Force officer from the 308th Rescue Squadron (2008)
thumb|225px|right|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.
The Air Force is the most restrictive service with regard 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
<gallery>
File:US Air Force Pilot Badge.png|Pilot Badge
File:United States Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Operator Badge.jpeg|Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Pilot Badge
File:United States Air Force Navigator Observer Badge.svg|Navigator / Combat Systems Officer / Observer Badge
File:USAF - Occupational Badge - Air Battle Manager.svg|Air Battle Manager Badge
File:United States Air Force Flight Surgeon Badge.svg|Flight Surgeon Badge
File:USAF Astronaut Device.png|Astronaut Badge (Any Aeronautical Rating Badge with Astronaut Device)
</gallery>
Aircrew Badges
<gallery>
File:United States Air Force Flight Nurse Badge.svg|Flight Nurse Badge
File:United States Air Force Officer Aircrew Badge.svg|Aircrew Badge (Officer)
File:United States Air Force Enlisted Aircrew Badge.svg|Aircrew Badge (Enlisted)
</gallery>
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
<gallery>
File:Basic Space Badge.jpg|Space Operations Badge*
File:USAF - Cyberspace Operator Wings Basic.png|Cyberspace Operator Badge*
File:3DXXX Basic Badge.jpg|Cyber Defense Operations Badge(Enlisted)*
File:USAF Multi-Domain Warfare Officer Badge.png|Multi-Domain Warfare Officer Badge
File:USAF 15W-Weather and Environmental Sciences Officer Badge-Basic.png|Weather and Environmental Sciences Officer Badge
File:United States Air Force Meteorologist Badge.svg|Meteorologist Badge
File:15A Duty badge.jpg|Operations Research Analyst Badge
File:US Air Force Information Operations Badge.png|Information Operations Badge
File:United States Air Force Operations Support Badge.svg|Operations Support Badge
File:United States Air Force Command and Control Badge.svg|Command and Control Badge
File:United States Air Force Weapons Director Badge.svg|Weapons Director Badge
File:United States Air Force Air Traffic Control Badge.svg|Air Traffic Control Badge
File:USAF - Occupational Badge - Missile Operations.svg|Missile Operations Badge
File:USAF Radar Airfield and Weather Systems Badge.png|Radar, Airfield, & Weather Systems Badge
File:United States Air Force Intelligence Badge.svg|Intelligence Badge*
File:US Air Force Safety Badge.png|Safety Badge
File:USAF Foreign Area Officer-16FX.png|Foreign Area Officer Badge
</gallery>
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.
<gallery>
File:USAF Special Tactics Officer Flash.png|Special Tactics Officer Crest
File:USAF Combat Controller Flash.jpg|Combat Controller Crest
File:USAF Special Reconnaissance Flash.png|Special Reconnaissance Crest
File:USAF Tactical Air Control Party Beret Flash.svg|Tactical Air Control Party Flash and Crest
File:USAF Combat Rescue Officer Flash.png|Combat Rescue Officer Crest
File:USAF Pararescue Flash.jpg|Pararescueman Crest
File:USAF SERE Flash.jpg|Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Crest
</gallery>
Logistics Career Group
<gallery>
File:USAF Munitions Badge.png|Munitions Badge
File:United States Air Force Maintenance Badge.svg|Maintenance Badge
File:United States Air Force Missile Badge.svg|Missile Maintenance Badge
File:USAF - Occupational Badge - Logistics Readiness.svg|Logistics Readiness Badge
File:United States Air Force Supply and Fuels Badge.svg|Supply and Fuels Badge
File:United States Air Force Transportation Badge.svg|Transportation Badge
File:United States Air Force Logistics Badge.svg|Logistics Plans Badge
</gallery>
Support Career Group
<gallery>
File:United States Air Force Band Badge.svg|Band Badge
File:United States Air Force Public Affairs Badge.svg|Public Affairs Badge
File:USAF - Occupational Badge - Historian.svg|Historian Badge
File:USAF - Occupational Badge - Force Support.svg|Human Resources & Administration (Enlisted)
File:USAF civil engineer readiness occupational badge.jpg|Emergency Management Badge
File:United States Air Force Civil Engineer Badge.svg|Civil Engineer Badge
File:United States Air Force Services Badge.svg|Services Badge (Enlisted)
File:USAF - Occupational Badge - Force Support.svg|Force Support Badge (Officer)
File:United States Air Force Force Protection Badge.svg|Force Protection Badge
</gallery>
Professional Career Group
<gallery>
File:USAF Judge Advocate Badge.svg|Judge Advocate Badge
File:USAFreligiouspins.jpg|Chaplain Badges (These badges have precedence over all other badges and are mandatory to wear.)
File:United States Air Force Paralegal Badge.svg|Paralegal Badge (Enlisted)
File:United States Air Force Chaplain's Assistant Badge.svg|Religious Affairs Airmen Badge (Enlisted)
</gallery>
Acquisition Career Group
<gallery>
File:United States Air Force Acquisition and Financial Management Badge.svg|Acquisition and Financial Management Badge*
</gallery>
Medical Career Group
<gallery>
File:United States Air Force Medical Corps Badge.svg|Medical Corps Badge
File:United States Air Force Enlisted Medical Badge.svg|Enlisted Medical Badge
File:United States Air Force Biomedical Sciences Corps Badge.svg|Biomedical Science Corps Badge
File:United States Air Force Nurse Corps Badge.svg|Nurse Corps Badge
File:United States Air Force Dental Corps Badge.svg|Dental Corps Badge
File:United States Air Force Medical Service Corps Badge.svg|Medical Service Corps Badge
File:USAF Independent Duty Medical Technician Badge-4N0X1C.png|Independent Duty Medical Technician Badge
</gallery>
Reporting Identifiers
<gallery>
File:US Air Force Scientific Applications Specialist Badge.png|Scientific Applications Specialist Badge
</gallery>
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.
File:United States Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge.svg|Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badges (Basic, Senior, and Master)
File:United States Air Force Parachutist Badge.svg|Parachutist Badges (Basic, Senior, and Master)
File:USAF - Occupational Badge - High Altitude Low Opening.svg|Freefall Parachutist Badges (Basic and Master)
File:US Army Parachute Rigger Badge.png|Parachute Rigger Badge
</gallery>
Duty Badges
Sources:
File:AETBadge.jpg|Air Education and Training Command Instructor Badges
File:USAF Professional Military Education Badge.png|Air Force Professional Military Education Badge
File:AFJROTC Instructor Badge.png|Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Instructor Badge
File:USAFABadge.jpg|Permanent Professor USAF Academy Badge*
File:USAF Recruiting Service Badge.png|Air Force Recruiting Service Badges
File:USAFRC Recruiting Service Badge.png|Air Force Reserve Recruiting Service Badges
File:New USAF Honor Guard Badge.png|Air Force Honor Guard Badge
File:USAF HG Badge.jpg|Air Force Base Honor Guard Badge
File:USA - AF OSI Badge.png|Air Force Special Agent Badge
File:AFPoliceBadge.jpg|Security Forces Badge
File:US Air Force Civilian Police badge.jpg|Department of the Air Force Law Enforcement Badges (Civilian)
File:AFFireBadge.jpg|Fire Protection Badges
File:US Air Force Inspector General Duty Badge.JPG|Air Force Inspector General Badge
</gallery>
Tabs and scrolls
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Authorized identifier tabs (worn on upper–left sleeve of combat uniforms)
|-
!Duty/Qualification !! Approved tab/patch
|-
|Advanced Air Advisor Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
|center|140px
|-
|Air Advisor Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
|center|140px
|-
|rowspan="1"|Arctic Tab (Authorized for permanent wear)
|center|140px
|-
|Base Honor Guard - Dress Uniform
|frameless|140x140px
|-
|Base Honor Guard
|center|140x140px
|-
|Courier
|center|140x140px
|-
|Evaluator
|center|140x140px
|-
|Forward Area Refueling Point
|frameless|140x140px
|-
|Instructor
|center|140x140px
|-
|Master Instructor
|center|140x140px
|-
|Raven
|center|140x140px
|-
|Recruiter
|center|140x140px
|-
|Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape
|center|140x140px
|-
|Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Specialist Scroll
|frameless|140x140px
|-
|USAF Honor Guard - Dress Uniform
|frameless|140x140px
|-
|USAF Honor Guard
|center|140x140px
|}
Duty identifier patches
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="10" |Worn on the left shoulder of the service’s Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform
<gallery>
File:USAF_EIC_Badges.png|Air Force Marksmanship Competition Badges
File:USAF 12 OAY badge.JPG|Outstanding Airman badge
</gallery>
Air National Guard badges and tabs
<gallery>
File:National Guard Bureau Organizational Badge.png|National Guard Bureau Organizational Badge
File:ANG Recruiting Service Badge.png|Air National Guard Recruiter 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:Governors Twenty Tab-ABU.png|Governor's Twenty Tab
File:Governors Twelve Tab-ABU.png|Governor's Twelve / Dozen Tab
File:Governors X Tab-ABU.png|Governor's Ten Tab
</gallery>
See also
- U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating
- Military badges of the United States
- Identification badges of the United States military
- Obsolete badges of the United States military
- United States military beret flash
- Air Force Specialty Code
- Uniforms of the United States Air Force
Notes
- * = also issued to Space Force guardians
- No asterisk indicates that the badge is only issued to airmen