Fleet Marine Force insignia

The Fleet Marine Force Warfare Insignia is a military badge of the United States Navy which is issued to those U.S. Navy personnel who are trained and qualified to perform duties in support of the United States Marine Corps. There are currently three classes of the Fleet Marine Force Pin, being that of enlisted, officer, and chaplain. The various badge types are as follows:

Enlisted

Fleet Marine Force Enlisted Warfare Specialist Device

The Fleet Marine Force Enlisted Warfare Specialist Device (FMFEWS) consists of a silver metal device depicting the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor of the U.S. Marine Corps, atop two crossed rifles on a background of ocean swells breaking on a sandy beach and a scroll with the words "FLEET MARINE FORCE".
Details
Armiger U.S. Department of the Navy
Adopted 2001
Escutcheon Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
Motto FLEET MARINE FORCE
Earlier versions Fleet Marine Force ribbon
Use To denote those enlisted U.S. Navy sailors who have successfully completed the necessary requirements of the Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist (EFMFWS) Program per OPNAV Instruction 1414.4B.

The Fleet Marine Force Enlisted Warfare Specialist Device (FMFEWS) is a qualification insignia of the United States Navy earned by enlisted U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the Fleet Marine Force of the U.S. Marine Corps who have successfully completed the necessary requirements of the Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist (EFMFWS) Program per OPNAV Instruction 1414.4B. This involves serving one year with a Marine Corps unit (two years for reserves), passing the Marine Physical Fitness Test (PFT), a written test, demonstrating skills used in service with the Marines such as weapon breakdown and familiarization, land navigation, combat communications and an oral examination by senior enlisted sailors who are FMF qualified. The Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist designation is most commonly awarded to the Hospital Corpsman (HM) and Religious Programs Specialist (RP) ratings, although it is also awarded to other sailors who support Marine Corps commands (e.g. Logistics Specialists assigned to medical logistics companies).

An enlisted U.S. Navy sailor who has qualified, may place the designator (FMF) after his or her rate and/or rating; for example, HM3 John Doe, USN, having qualified for his FMF pin, is identified as HM3 (FMF) John Doe, USN.

Enlisted requirements

When qualifying for the Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare specialist pin, a Hospital Corpsman, Religious Programs Specialist, Personnel Specialist, along with some SeaBee units (when directly assigned to a U.S. Marine Corps combatant command) are required to have detailed knowledge on the following subjects:

CORE

[1]

Additionally a second section of the course is detailed toward the element of the United States Marine Corps with which the candidate is assigned. For example: a line corpsman with an infantry battalion will learn the Ground Combat Element (GCE).

GCE

[2]

Furthermore, to finally qualify, a candidate is expected to perform a disassembly and reassembly of many of the taught weapon systems, operate a SINGARS radio, and plot various points on a map, perform various carries and life saving medical techniques, and in many cases perform (and pass) a Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test(PFT) and Combat Fitness Test (CFT)

Although this is a qualification is for enlisted personnel serving in the United States Navy, it is unique in that only Commanding Generals or Commanding Officers of qualifying U.S. Marine Corps commands, Division, Group, or Wing; can approve awarding of the designation. As such, to some HMs it is the most coveted warfare insignia within the Hospital Corpsman community.

The EGA makes a clear statement that the wearer is a member of the Navy/Marine Corps team. The crossed rifles symbolize the rifleman ethic of the Marine Corps; every Marine is a rifleman, just as every Sailor is a firefighter and damage controlman aboard ship and submarine. The surf and sand represent the "littoral zone," the coastal regions where Sailors have served alongside Marines as they earned their reputation and world's respect -- "the shores of Tripoli" and the "sands of Iwo Jima." And has a scroll at the bottom stating "Fleet Marine Force" showing the exclusive community they belong to.

Officer

The Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Qualified Officer Insignia is earned by Navy officers assigned to the Fleet Marine Force of the U.S. Marine Corps who have successfully completed the necessary requirements including serving for one year in a Marine Corps command, completing a written test, passing the Marine PFT, and an oral board conducted by FMF qualified officers. The FMF Qualified Officer Insignia is most commonly earned by staff officers in the medical fields, and chaplains, although it is also awarded to other officer communities, such as Civil Engineer Corps and naval gunfire officers.

The FMFQO insignia is a gold, highly polished, metal device depicting the eagle, globe and anchor (EGA) atop two crossed rifles on a background of ocean swells breaking on a sandy beach atop a scroll with the words "Fleet Marine Force."

The EGA makes a clear statement that the wearer is a member of the Navy/Marine Corps team. The crossed rifles symbolize the rifleman ethic of the Marine Corps; every Marine is a rifleman, just as every Sailor is a firefighter and damagecontrolman aboard ship and submarine. The surf and sand represent the "littoral zone," the coastal regions where Sailors have served alongside Marines as they earned their reputation and world's respect -- "the shores of Tripoli" and the "sands of Iwo Jima." The eagle, continents, and rifles are highlighted with a highly polished silver finish.[3] The qualification was created in July 2005; OPNAV 1414.6 CH-1 outlines the requirements for qualification.

Chaplain

The Chaplain version of this badge does not include the crossed rifles, as they are non-combatants, and has a gold anodized finish.[4]

Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon

As a result of the Fleet Marine Force Qualified Officer and Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist programs,[5] the Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon was replaced effective October 1, 2006.

Those individuals who previously qualified for the Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon will retain the FMF designator; however, they are not entitled to wear the EFMFWS insignia until completing another FMF assignment and meeting all requirements outlined in OPNAVINST 1414.4B.

See also


References

  1. NAVEDTRA 43908-B Aug2010
  2. NAVEDTRA 43908-B Aug2010
  3. http://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-400%20Promotion%20and%20Advancement%20Programs/1414.6.pdf OPNAV 1414.6 CH-1
  4. http://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/new_unireg/chapter5.pdf Navy Uniform Regulations, Chapter 5 Section 2
  5. http://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-400%20Promotion%20and%20Advancement%20Programs/1414.4B.pdf

External links