Should the new Army Instructor Badge be available to all Instructors, not just NCOES personnel?

The TRADOC SGM spoke to us when I was in SLC back in August. I brought up the badge and he stated that it is coming for AIT and other instructors as well. PME starts at our level, so why are we considered any less of an instructor?

Sure would be nice to receive that recognition because instructing AIT level is so much more than just the academics.

SFC Zelbst, do you feel the same about MRT or the other lesser-known instructors? I am '8R' qualified and have been instructed Resiliency throughout my current mobilization. However, it is far outside of the realm of TRADOC or a formal schoolhouse.

Hey!!! Just came across this. It would be worth the recognition. I tried for years to help make the Master Gunner course more recognizable then being a MG. They have the badge while being Instructors and those that go on to their units to be MG's should be able to wear it Just like the recruiter badge, DS pumpkin. And if anyone knows that MG's are run ragged during tank, stryker and bradley gunnery, leading up to during and after completion.

Dating myself here. I received the Instructor designator when it was an "H". So yes, I agree that it shouldn't just be for NCOES instructors. As a Tank Commander/Instructor/Writer at Knox for about 3 years was challenging as we taught rain or shine. No classroom classes for us. I went thru the Combat Advisor course at Riley then went to Afghanistan to be Advisors to the Afghan Border Police. Got back to Riley where I was an Instructor/SGI/Advisor for teams heading over that included Navy, AF and Army NG for 2 years at Riley, then we moved the school down to Polk. We also received the T1B identifier. We were with our individual teams or with two teams 6 days a week.

My other side job at Riley was foreign weapons instructor on the Russian AK, RPK, PKM and the Dragunov rifle to all the teams coming thru. Then some genius decided how to make it a civilian instructor course who trained the trainers. Then Big Army decided it was a waste of money soooo no more course.

By reading the AR about the criteria about teaching to other Soldiers, evaluating/assessing the teams, and assisting in rewriting training guides or courses, We should qualify?

.

Way more time.<br>

Not to mention all the countless additional duties and taskings...

AIT instructing is a challenging and exacting specialty, where future NCOs are molded. The instructors need all the recognition.

I agree, its like saying your level of instructing isn't good enough to wear the badge.

CW2 (Join to see) - Thank you. I did 3 years at Ft Gordon (Wouldn't trade it for anything) and agree that those if us who were in before this should be able to get the Basic and Senior badges depending on how much time we spent. I've got over 5,000 hours as the primary instructor (3 years and little leave time) so should be able to have the Senior badge. Doesn't matter for promotions or anything, but dang, to not qualify because of BS reasons that didn't exist at the time would suck.