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

I have been an AIT Instructor and can tell you that for sure it is a lot harder and more time consuming to take care of PVT Snuffy than to take care of NCO's attending WLC, ALC or SLC. Why give more recognition to the Instructors having the easier job. All Instructors should be able to keep the Identifier and get the Instructor Badge. Ones I am done teaching to AIT Soldiers my Identifier is gone!

I taught at the AMEDD NCO Academy for three years (98-01). We were SGLs and used small group methodology. The other instructors on Fort Sam team taught. I had 10+ hours of contact time with my small group. I was their only instructor until they went to another phase or graduated. The AIT instructors might teach 3 to 4 classes a week while we taught everything. The Drills and the AIT instructors didn't have nearly the contact time that we did. Our positions were recognizes as the most challenging instructor slots in the AMEDD. We couldn't get AIT instructors to come over because "we worked to hard". I don't have a problem with a badge for NCOES SGLs. They are a cut above the rest.

<p>Why do we need this? I am sorry and I don't want to be a negative Nancy but I see no point in this badge.&nbsp; I thought that the NCOES instructors already wore some sort of pin that dangled off there uniform that looked kind of like a DUI or some sort of unit crest.</p><p><br></p><p>I think the Army is getting to carried away with these badges.&nbsp; Remember pre- OEF/OIF days.. Depending on what unit you were serving in at the time you never saw much more than the occasional Airborne/Air Assault Badge.. a few Drill Sergeants and Recruiter Badges and very few Combat Patches.</p><p><br></p><p>I feel like the Army now a days is trying to create things just so we some how feel important.&nbsp; I will be honest with you.. I know some guys who are garbage that are instructors.&nbsp; I remember going to WLC and those Instructors being over weight but at the same time "thought" at least to me that they were Drill Sergeants.&nbsp; Now of course I am not saying all Drill Sergeants are squared away but there is a MASSIVE difference in what the Drill Sergeant does and an AIT Platoon Sergeant or an NCOES Instructor.&nbsp; </p><p><br></p><p>If I were the CSM of the Army or whoever is in charge of this policy I would award maybe a Ribbon for the position but I would not award a badge.. We already have to much stuff to put on our uniform as it is, Career Counselor, Recruiter, Drill Sergeant, Tomb of Unknown, Combat Identification Badge, and your staff badge if you are awarded it for working up in D.C.&nbsp;all go on those same two pockets.&nbsp; Where will this badge go?</p><p><br></p><p>I can see me getting a few dislikes for this comment but again its just my opinion. Enough with the badge already. </p>

I think they should.&nbsp; Instructors within Basic Training/OSUT units and Basic Officer Leader Courses should be able to wear wear it because they are required to attend the same certification that NCOES instructors do to be able to instruct.&nbsp; I can see Drill Sergeants not being able to wear it because their training is a bit different, plus they have their hat and badge that uniquely identifies them already.

Yes, I believe the Instructor badge should be for all certified instructors, staing that NCOES are more important dut to the training of NCO's? What about training the Soldiers to be proficient in their jobs and as leaders maybe the AIT instructors who spend more time with the Soldiers than the NCOES do.

When I was in the Army, we had a "Z" designation after the MOS.&nbsp; I was&nbsp;the NCOIC for driver training&nbsp;(64C20Z) at Ft. Ord.&nbsp; Would this be the same as the '8' I hear about in the discussion?