thumb|300px|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:

File:SpecialForcesTabMetal.jpg|Special Forces Tab

File:Ranger Tab - Dress Metal.png|Ranger Tab

File:Sapper Tab Metal.png|Sapper Tab

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Group 5

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File:DandMBadge (Small).jpg|Driver and Mechanic Badge

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<gallery>

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

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Identification Badges

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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

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Other Accoutrements

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

File:Service stripe.jpg|Service Stripes

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National Guard Badges

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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

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Proposed badges

Mariner Badge

{| class="wikitable"

|+

! colspan="3" |Mariner Badges

|-

|center|frameless|222x222px|US Army Mariner Badge Basic

|center|frameless|210x210px

|center|frameless|208x208px

|-

|

|

|

|}

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

See also

  • Distinctive unit insignia (U.S. Army)
  • Military badges of the United States
  • Identification badges of the United States military
  • Obsolete badges of the United States military
  • Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (United States Army)
  • Tabs of the United States Army
  • Uniforms of the United States Army
  • United States military beret flash
  • List of United States Army careers
  • United States Army branch insignia

References

  • Army Regulation 670-1: Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia (PDF file)
  • Army Regulation 600-8-22: Military Awards (PDF file)
  • Army Service Uniform - Ribbons Poster (PDF file)

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