| Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge | |
|---|---|
| Awarded by United States Army | |
| Type | Badge |
| Awarded for | Qualification as a high altitude parachutist |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| First awarded | 1 October 1994[1] |
| Last awarded | On going |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | (Group 3 badges) Astronaut, EOD, Aviator, Flight Surgeon |
| Equivalent | (Group 4 badges) Pathfinder, Parachutist, Air Assault |
| Next (lower) | (Group 5 badges) Diving Badge, Driver and Mechanic, Rigger |
The Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge is a military badge of the United States Army awarded to qualified U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force personnel as high altitude parachute specialist. It also is called HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) Wings.
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To earn the Military Free Fall Badge, the military member first must receive all necessary ground training, already have earned the Parachutist Badge (jump-qualified), and must have completed the requisite free fall (night, combat equipment, oxygen) jumps. The Military Free Fall Course is taught by Company B, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) and lasts four weeks. The first week, ground week, is spent at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where students learn body stabilization, high altitude physiology, and aircraft procedures. The remaining three weeks are spent at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, where students conduct airborne operations.[2]
A star and a laurel wreath, centered above the badge, is authorized for soldiers and airman qualified as a Military Master Free Fall Parachutist (Jumpmaster). Such qualification requires completing the Military Free Fall Jumpmaster course, wherein the student learns how to be a jumpmaster in military free fall operations; course requirements include experience as a military free fall parachutist and completion of the static line jumpmaster course.[1] [3]
The dagger is a Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, used by the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, represents infiltration techniques.
The arched tab represents tabs worn by special operations forces.
The parachute is a seven-celled MT1-X, the first ram-air parachute to be adopted by the U.S. Military as the standard freefall canopy.
The wing represents flight and airborne capabilities.[1]
The Military Free Fall Badge original design was submitted in March 1983 by Sergeant First Class Gregory A. Dailey of SFODA-552, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group. Updates on the design, adding a master military freefall parachutist badge were submitted by General Wayne A. Downing of USSOCOM and James Phillips of the Special Forces Association. The badge was approved for wear by soldiers assigned to Army Special Operations Command on 1 October 1994. Unrestricted wear was approved on 7 July 1997 by General Dennis Reimer.[1]
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