Marine Aerial Navigator Badge
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The Marine Aerial Navigator Badge is a military badge of the United States Marine Corps that is issued to Marine Corps enlisted personnel who complete flight training as a navigator on board Marine Corps aircraft. The Marine Aerial Navigator Badge is not issued to U.S. Naval aviation personnel and is the only independent aviation badge issued to the Marine Corps.
The Marine Aerial Navigator Badge is similar in appearance to the Naval Flight Officer Badge and is considered a "successor" to the Naval Aviation Observer (Navigation) Badge, issued between March 1945 and March 1947.
To be awarded the Marine Aerial Navigator Badge, a service member must complete the Marine Aerial Navigator Course. This course was offered at Randolph Air Force Base until the flight-navigation school was decommissioned with the graduation of Class 04-01 on 31 July, 2004. Presently, personnel must obtain an equivalent formal course of another service and volunteer to fly as enlisted aircrew.
Upon completion of training, and certification as a Marine Corps Navigator, the Marine Aerial Navigator Badge is presented. After designation, Marine Aerial Navigators serve in the Military Occupational Speciality (MOS) 7371 (Aerial Navigator-Trainee) while undergoing aircraft model-specific training and move into MOS 7372 (First Navigator) upon completion of their aircraft type training. Navigators that enter the warrant officer ranks move into MOS 7380 (Mission Specialist/Navigation Officer). There is no separate badge worn by warrant officer navigators.
