Parachutist Badge (United States)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Parachutist Badge | |
|---|---|
 Basic Parachutist Badge |
|
| Awarded by United States Military | |
| Type | Badge |
| Awarded for | Airborne training course |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Last awarded | Currently awarded |
The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" or "Snow Cone", is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces which is awarded to members of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. The U.S. Coast Guard is the only service which does not issue a Parachutist Badge, however Coast Guard members are entitled to receive the Parachutist Badge of another service, if the proper training was received.
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[edit] Army
The Army Parachutist Badge is awarded to all soldiers in any service who complete US Army Airborne school, 3 weeks of training at Fort Benning, Georgia. It signifies that the soldier is a trained Army Parachutist, and is qualified to conduct airborne operations.
The original Army Parachutist Badge was designed in 1941 by Lieutenant General (then Major) William P. Yarborough and approved by the Department of the Army in March of that year. The Parachustist Badge replaced the Parachutist Patch which had previously worn as a large patch on the right side of a Paratrooper's garrison cap.
The Army Parachutist Badge is issued in three degrees, being that of Basic, Senior, and Master Parachutist. The various degrees are signified by a star and wreath above the decoration. The current awards criteria are:
[edit] Parachutist Badge (Basic)
To be eligible for award of the basic Parachutist Badge, an individual must have satisfactorily completed the prescribed proficiency tests while assigned or attached to an airborne unit or the Airborne Department of the Infantry School, or have participated in at least one combat parachute jump as follows:
- A member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission for which the unit was credited with an airborne assault landing by the theater commander.
- While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.
- While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
[edit] Senior Parachutist Badge
To be eligible for the Senior Parachutist Badge, an individual must have been rated excellent in character and efficiency and have met the following requirements:
- Participated in a minimum of 30 jumps to include fifteen jumps with combat equipment to consist of normal TOE equipment including individual weapon carried in combat whether the jump was in actual or simulated combat. In cases of simulated combat the equipment will include water, rations (actual or dummy), ammunition (actual or dummy), and other essential items necessary to sustain an individual in combat. Two night jumps must also be made during the hours of darkness (regardless of time of day with respect to sunset) one of which will be as jumpmaster of a stick. In addition, two mass tactical jumps which culminate in an airborne assault problem with either a unit equivalent to a battalion or larger; a separate company battery; or an organic staff of regimental size or larger. The soldier must fill a position commensurate with his or her rank or grade during the problem.
- Either graduated from the Jumpmaster Course of the Airborne Department of the Infantry School or the Jumpmaster School of a separate airborne battalion or larger airborne unit, or infantry divisions and separate infantry brigades containing organic airborne elements, to include the U.S. Army Alaska Jumpmaster Course or served as jumpmaster on one or more combat jumps or as a jumpmaster on 15 noncombat jumps.
- Have served on jump status with an airborne unit or other organizations authorized parachutists for a total of at least 24 months.
[edit] Master Parachutist Badge
To be eligible for the Master Parachutist Badge, an individual must have been rated excellent in character and efficiency and have met the following requirements:
- Participated in a minimum of 65 jumps to include twenty-five jumps with combat equipment to consist of normal TOE equipment, including individual weapon carried by the individual in combat whether the jump was in actual or simulated combat. In cases of simulated combat the equipment will include water rations (actual or dummy), ammunition (actual or dummy), and other essential items necessary to sustain an individual in combat. Four night jumps must also be made during the hours of darkness(regardless of the time of day with respect to sunset) one of which will be as jumpmaster of a stick. Five mass tactical jumps must be made which culminate in an airborne assault problem with a unit equivalent to a battalion or larger; a separate company/battery; or an organic staff of regimental size or larger. The individual must fill a position commensurate with their rank or grade during the problem.
- Either graduated from the Jumpmaster Course of the Airborne Department of the Infantry School or the Jumpmaster School of a separate airborne battalion or larger airborne unit, or infantry divisions and separate infantry brigades containing organic airborne elements, to include the U.S. Army Alaska Jumpmaster Course, or served as jumpmaster on one or more combat jumps or as jumpmaster on 33 noncombat jumps.
- Have served on jump status with an airborne unit or other organization authorized parachutists for a total of 36 months (may be non-consecutive).
Master Combat Parachustist Badge with 3 service stars
[edit] Combat Parachustist
Although not an official Parachustist rating, any soldier who completes an airborne jump into a combat zone can wear the Combat Parachutist Badge which is the standard Parachustist Badge upgraded to include service stars pinned on the decoration. In such cases, the Parachustist retains the title as Basic, Senior, or Master Parachutist but is said to possess the Combat Parachustist Badge. The maximum number of combat awards that may be shown on the Army Parachutist Badge is five. These service stars are commonly referred to as "Mustard Stains".
[edit] Navy/Marine Corps
The Naval Parachutist Badge is issued in two degrees to members of both the United States Navy and Marine Corps who complete the standard Naval Parachutist training course. The Basic Parachutist Badge is similar in design to the Army Parachutist Badge and is issued for completion of basic parachutist training. The Naval Parachutist Badge is equivalent to the Army's Senior and Master Parachutist badges and is awarded after ten qualifing jumps. The Basic Parachutist Badge is a prerequisite for the Special Warfare Badge since parachutist training is an integral part of the Navy’s BUDs program. SEAL personnel generally do not wear the Basic badge once they earn their Special Warfare Badge, but will wear their Naval Jump Wings in addition to the "Budweiser." Navy EOD technicians are generally also jump qualified with a number of them also being qualified in military freefall, HALO, and HAHO. Currently, due to a recent change, newly pinned EOD techs are required to attend Airborne school upon graduation. As well, a small number of SWCC personnel earn Basic badges in conjunction with their assignment to a Special Boat Team detachment which uses the Maritime Air Delivery System (MADS), which enables them to drop small watercraft and their crews from C-130 aircraft.
Navy personel may qualify as a free-fall and/or a high-altitude low-opening (HALO) parachutist. Navy enlisted personnel who qualify for the Naval Parachutist Badge are authorized to include the designator (PJ) after his/her enlisted rating. Enlisted personnel that qualify as free-fall and HALO parachutists are authorized the designator (FPJ) when writing his/her rating.
In the U.S. Marine Corps, the Naval Parachutist Badge, along with the new rebreather or old SCUBA "bubble" is the two identifying badges of a U.S. Marine Force Recon, who, like their SEAL counterparts, are jump and rebreather certified.
[edit] Air Force
The Air Force Parachutist Pin is similar in design to the Army Parachutist Badge. Air Force personnel may be awarded the decoration following completion of basic parachute training through a designated Air Force Air-Ground Training Program.
Like the Army Parachutist Badge, the Air Force Parachutist Pin is issued in three degrees being that of Basic, Senior and Master. The level of degree is determined by the number of jumps the wearer has successfully completed as well as total years in service to the Air Force.
The degrees of the Air Force Parachutist Pin are denoted by a wreath and star centered above the decoration.
