Posted on Dec 31, 2020
Can I wear my Airborne and Air-Assault badges while in basic training?
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I am going back to basic training as an E-4, after a few years out of the service. I am Airborne and Air Assault qualified...should I wear (if it's allowed of course) my patches...or should I just try to keep a low profile? What would you do?
Basic Combat Training (BCT)
Airborne Trainee
Regulation
Specialist
Enlisted
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 338
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If you earned those badges then wear them proudly. Last thing you would want is for your DS(s) to find out when they look at your pink and greens in the wall locker and realize you've been sandbagging. That's what happened to us at WOCS. No one wore their badges until the TAC officers realized we had a green beret in our formation that was trying to blend in. Then we all put our stuff on and that pride of those schools we all graduated in kicked in. Just my thoughts.
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I have done this dance, after a 7 year break in service to go to OCS in 2001. My wife was a DS at Fort Jackson at the time. In theory, you are authorized to wear all awards and badges that you were awarded or earned during your prior service. I was a SPC, since I had a Bachelor's degree. Only fools pinned on rank or badges. I was in a platoon with a guy who had a Ranger Tab, Airborne and Air Assault Badges that no one knew of until graduation day; we graduated OCS together. Trust me, there is NO upside to wearing any of it at basic training.
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Wear them. You'll already be identified as a PS trainee. They'll know. No reason to hide who you are, DS are gonna DS. If you don't wear them, and they know that you have them, what message does that send to them, and those new Soldiers attending with you.
Be all that you can be, right?
Good luck at BCT, enjoy it this time around,
Be all that you can be, right?
Good luck at BCT, enjoy it this time around,
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take your Drill SGT's by surprise wear them on your dress uniform for graduation from basic training. when I went through basic I had an Navy EOD and a Navy SEAL transfer in to the Army their file were sealed the drills were not allowed to view them until graduation. when we all graduated their were some extremely surprised Drill SGT's when they saw these guys uniforms most of who were non prior service already new who they were except for any and all of the Cadre.
wear them graduation and stay low and under the radar as much as possible you'll do great.
wear them graduation and stay low and under the radar as much as possible you'll do great.
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SSG David Spooner
That would be classic!! The drill seeing that one guy in formation wearing a Trident..
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SSG Byron Hewett
1SG Randy Book - they were a more then decent they were old school Drill SGT, the reason they were surprised was because they prior service navy guys were in their mid to late 30’s to the start of of their 40’s and when they came in within sealed records not to be unsealed until after graduation.
The Drills SGT’s I suspect didn’t bother to look or check real close either because they were extremely busy with all of us and the admin’s were too busy with all of their duties and making sure our entire company had everything we needed for training, scheduling of ranges, classrooms, guns, rifles, bullets and beans.
The Drills SGT’s I suspect didn’t bother to look or check real close either because they were extremely busy with all of us and the admin’s were too busy with all of their duties and making sure our entire company had everything we needed for training, scheduling of ranges, classrooms, guns, rifles, bullets and beans.
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Specialist, If you earned it wear it. However, I would caution that you get guidance from your DIs first. If there is no policy against it, do it. The young bloods will ask about them and you can be a great recruiter for the programs.
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In BCT you should go in "slick sleeve" and be one of the group. Eventually they will figure it out and make you one of the "acting jack" leaders.
When I was in BCT, we had a college grad who had a couple years of ROTC and he tried to be one of the group until they looked at his file, then made him the "acting jack" CO.
In my case, after several years break, I was able to go back in with my old rank, but I did it through the Nat Guard/Reserve program. However i had to be up to speed with the PT and all the latest developments within the 1st year of be required to leave or go to BCT.
When I was in BCT, we had a college grad who had a couple years of ROTC and he tried to be one of the group until they looked at his file, then made him the "acting jack" CO.
In my case, after several years break, I was able to go back in with my old rank, but I did it through the Nat Guard/Reserve program. However i had to be up to speed with the PT and all the latest developments within the 1st year of be required to leave or go to BCT.
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Read the regulations and go with it. With or without them you're going to be noticed either way. Soldiers recognize other soldiers on sight. Have fun being the big brother.
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