Posted on Oct 31, 2014
Why don't officers wear marksmanship badges?
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The day I turned my chevrons in for gold bars I noticed something. All the officers I've ever seen never wore marksmanship badges in dress uniforms. I just assumed they were unauthorized for officers and removed it voluntarily. I honestly never desired to wear the badge (probably because I was only ever a sharpshooter), but I haven't found any documentation specifically preventing officers from wearing them. Do you think officers should wear them?
Officer
Uniforms
Marksmanship
Badges
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 764
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officers don't want their subordinates know if they are a less caliber of shooter. That is my guess.
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Last thing I knew is an officer could not hit the broad side of the barn if they were even standing right next to it with their pistol. Maybe with a pen or pencil they could though, surprised they don't have qualifying badges for that.
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SFC (Join to see)
That is a generalization, that's not always right, correct or even fair. I had officers during my time in the Army that were great shots and others that were not just as I had NCOs and lower enlisted in both situations. So this is an individual skill that has nothing to do with rank.
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No question about the marksmanship badge. Just wondering the circumstances why highly decorated SSG Saunders pictured is not wearing jump wings, yet has a 75th Regt affiliation crest. I know one can go to ranger school and not be airborne qualified.
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SPC (Join to see)
Technically you don't have to go to Airborne school to be in an airborne unit. You just can't jump with them. I've been in that situation myself. It looks like he transferred to the 75th from a non-airborne unit in 4th ID and had not yet been given the chance to get his wings after arriving at the new unit before taking the picture.
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Maybe, the "O" that thought that up Just could not shoot, just like I think that the "O" that made it a capitol offense to have a bears just probably could not grow a beard and was jealous. OR I might be wrong, No I think I am right...It goes back a ways, perhaps a good academic project for the leadership department of IOBC to look it up
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My father earned his marksman, parachute, glider and CIB while he was Enlisted, after becoming a Warrant Officer W-3 he still wore all badges that he earned. If you earned them wear them Proudly! I did!
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Great question, as a direct commissioned officer, when I first qualified with the AR15 and 9mm, I was pissed to learn this cultural, or Enlisted vs Officer weapons and all. Such a b.s., have been carrying both weapons down range in all of my 3 deployments and they are both part of any military rank when you deploy. With that said, when shit hits the fan off the wire, i feel really sorry for those officers that are not carrying the AR15....I would wear the badges proudly if I could. This madness has to stop...lol
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PFC Charles Sanders
LTC (Join to see) - should know the difference between an AR-15 and a M-16/M-4. View me as a pest all you want. No skin off my back.
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CSM (Join to see)
Kind of Surprise to see an Officer insulting a young PFC for making a correction; what an example of leadership.
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LTC (Join to see)
CSM (Join to see) - with due respect to a few great CSM i have met and served with, it sure doesn't surprise me someone like you stepping in here to judge my leadership skills...perhaps you should "lead" us all into another Garrison ppt on poriginally correct ways to address sensitive privates and CSM. Just please do it outside my comment page. Thanks
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PFC Charles Sanders
LTC (Join to see) - why would I waste my time on that. I had commanders waste plenty of my time on useless "trainings" while I was in. I just pointed out that you ought to know your own weapons. Have fun drawing an AR-15 from the armory.
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I still get confused at all the badges, ribbons and cords is required in the Army uniform. I enjoyed the fact that in the Marines we were only required to wear unit awards. Personal decorations were not mandatory. So, in my opinion simplicity is always best.
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CW4 Tim Claus
That might be why the Marine Blues are the best looking of the dress uniforms, with the ASUs next. Providing the Army can avoid the pressure to keep hanging every merit badge possible on the uniform. In my younger days, only NCOs wore service stripes, and those were on both sleeves, so the appearance was balanced. No combat bars on blues.
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I think Marksmanship badges are stupid. I hated wearing the silly thing. Everyone should qualify Expert. Those that don't should stay on the range until they do. How can any soldier not be a expert and still have self respect? Maybe we need less sensitivity training and more combat skill training? Even a cook ,truck driver ,supply guy , Medic, ect should be Expert with a rifle and pistol. for some it is easy but it is not that difficult to keep training till you are Expert. The military should encourage troops to go shooting recreationally.
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Regardless of branch or rank everyone should be proficient. We spent two weeks a year on the range qualifying, and IMO that's still not enough. Even live firing for a week isn't close to satisfactory, especially for combat MOS. Its a shame really.
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