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?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 764
All the Warrant Officers, to include myself, wore them. AR670-1 authorizes them if you have earned them.
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I wore my expert rifle badge. Authorized several other marksmanship badges but just wore the one as all those bars under the expert badge were a nuisance.
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Did a quick search for USMC Commandants images - Most are wearing marksmanship badges in Class A 's Dress blues not so much. While I do not disagree with Col Smallfield I would contend that the Marine corps mindset is slightly different in that we instill the mindset that every Marine is a rifleman FIRST. Those who master this skill are held in higher regard. I was always taught a good leader leads by example. I did not expect my squadron CO to be able to rewire a huey or troubleshoot the chin turret of a cobra but he better be able to pick up that M-16 and put holes in the black at 500 Meters!
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All gentlemen must know how to shoot.
Therefore, no sense in giving out medals to all of them.
Therefore, no sense in giving out medals to all of them.
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Dad always wore his Distinguished Marksman Badge no matter his rank, from the time he was awarded the badge in 1935 as a PFC in the National Guard all through the enlisted ranks, as an officer (WW II battlefield commission), and as a warrant officer in the Regular Army between 1942-71. He was wearing it when he was buried in 1983.
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Usually only the officers that came up through the ranks in front line units won't be qualified for them.
All of our officers in the SF were at a minimum earned their EIB and many also earned their CIB during tours in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.
As far as the "bolo" badges, I have never worn mine. Since those of us in SF had to qualify Expert with all weapons every year, our "crossed arrows" and SF tab says it all.
I am sure the Ranges are the same situation.
Officers in other branches usually don't have much of an opportunity to earn them. So if they have, usually are glad to wear them.
All of our officers in the SF were at a minimum earned their EIB and many also earned their CIB during tours in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.
As far as the "bolo" badges, I have never worn mine. Since those of us in SF had to qualify Expert with all weapons every year, our "crossed arrows" and SF tab says it all.
I am sure the Ranges are the same situation.
Officers in other branches usually don't have much of an opportunity to earn them. So if they have, usually are glad to wear them.
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I turned in my SGT stripes for 2LT bars a very long time ago. But as a 1LT I had the happy occasion to earn the US Army Distinguished Rifleman Badge, which is a 10K solid gold hunk that is about as rare as a Tomb Guard Badge. I retired as a LTC, but damn sure still wore my DDB-R, despite having the occasional CSM who'd never seen one tell me that it was unauthorized.
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As a 2LT I earned the Excellence in Competition Bronze Rifle Badge at Ft. Campbell, KY in 1989. I wore that badge proudly on my class A and dress blues until the day I retired as an 0-6. I served a year on the Army Staff at the Pentagon and two years on the Joint Staff at National Guard Bureau. Not once in my career did I ever have anyone question why i wore it. However I was asked more times than I can count how one can earn the right to wear it. While it is for the most part tradition a lot of officers do not wear the marksmanship badge on their uniform, I would not think twice if I saw an officer who did. There are much more important things to think about than that.
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