Why don't officers wear marksmanship badges?

I submit that officers should wear them. With due respect to the officers who commented to the contrary, I believe their replies are bullshit and spoken by officers who have lost touch with those serving under them. You qualify on the weapons systems in your command, and should be expert. Period. Your men look to you for leadership. If you don't know a Mark-19 from an M-9, you have failed them. I have lost count of officers with this piss poor attitude. And unfortunately for most, the enlisted appointed under them have little or no respect for them. Officers should be experts, but should prove it every time the unit quals. PERIOD!

Am I the only one wigging out that SSG Saunders in the picture doesn't have a campaign star on his ICM....

I'm seeing a lot of comments that range from "we're experts in everything" to "if we have to pick up a weapon, we're doing something wrong". Also, a lot of people have mentioned regulation vs. culture.

Yes, regulation states if you're awarded it you can wear it, there is no mention of rank. Yes, the culture is that no one wears it (including in DA Photos). You are in violation of no policy that I know of by wearing your marksmanship badges as an officer.

We are not experts in everything. It is my opinion that we are to be "jacks/jills of all trades." The only exceptions to that are the specialty branches (JAG, AV, Medical, etc.). It is true that we are leaders/managers, but if we weren't intended to fire anything short of a pistol, combat arms units wouldn't have a carbine for every officer in the battalion, including the battalion commander (except the field surgeon and physician's assistant). Now... if you're a Combat Service Support officer, I suppose something is wrong if you're picking up a weapon, but you never know.

There's also mention of wearing badges because of award in other services, and I would point those people to AR 670-1, 22-12c "...Marksmanship badges from other U.S. Services are not authorized for wear on the Army uniform."

I thought of this discussion as I watched the most recent MoH award. Check out his Marksman badge!

I wore my Drivers Badge and Marksmanship Badge(s) with pride. Too many fellow officers could not hit the broad side of a barn from the inside. My enlisted career taught me how toe read AR 670-1 and comply with its guidance. I believe every Officer should show their soldiers they are competent in their basic soldier skills and wear the skill badge of their competence and not hide from their abilities, not wearing the badge.

Well I guess I am odd man out. I was a mustang officer direct commission from SFC to 1LT. Never went to knife a fork school. I wore my Pistol Qualification Badge and I wore my Drill Sergent ID Badge and never thought a thing about it. Never was told I should or shouldn't.

They do in the Marine Corps, both rifle and pistol. See photo of Commandant Neller, attached.

Traditionally - In the 1920s:
1. It was a soldiers task, not one for an officer, since officer's had the pistol, the sword and horsemanship (except in the Cavalry).
2. Army leaders considered that soldiers needed something that was strictly 'their own'.
3. Officers were lousy shots :D just kidding.

With all the above comments, it really boils down to the fact that the leadership of the US Army does not value small arms marksmanship and the Marines do............

I am a Marine Mustang and we wear both pistol and rifle marksmanship badges. Every Marine is a rifleman. It's not the smoke or noise we make, but the HITS that count!