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
Must be an Army Thing. I wore one in the USAF Security Police. It showed I could be trusted to back someone up in a firefight.
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As a retired Combat Arms, Field Grade Mustang, hell yes! Lead By Example is how I was brought up as a 19D! As a 11A, this badge would show the troopers, “he ain’t a desk jockey yet”
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What I was told as Enlisted was that it was the expectation of an Officer to shoot expert on assigned weapons, so wear of the medal is frowned upon. Would be like wearing a perfect attendence award.
BTW, off topic but as trivia, Army Marksmanship badges can be worn by civilians on civilian clothes if earned via the Army Markesmanship Program. That has to be somewhere in the reg as I read it long ago.
BTW, off topic but as trivia, Army Marksmanship badges can be worn by civilians on civilian clothes if earned via the Army Markesmanship Program. That has to be somewhere in the reg as I read it long ago.
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A good leader does not need to prove he is good enough. A good leader does not need to compete, to be the best. A good leader doesn't need to know everything, be better than, or superior to anyone in his command.
While a Marksmanship badge can be used to show: "Look at me, try to be as good." Or, "Look at me, I'm not quite there yet, but I'm always going to work at being better; follow my example."
It wouldn't usually work that way. No one can determine they way someone else views things.
A good leader needs to be able to recognize those around him/her, whom are the best at specific tasks, whom are knowledgeable in specific areas, etc. They need to recognize these things, then use them to their best advantage; and coordinate all the individual pieces into a unit greater than the sum of it's individual parts.
While a Marksmanship badge can be used to show: "Look at me, try to be as good." Or, "Look at me, I'm not quite there yet, but I'm always going to work at being better; follow my example."
It wouldn't usually work that way. No one can determine they way someone else views things.
A good leader needs to be able to recognize those around him/her, whom are the best at specific tasks, whom are knowledgeable in specific areas, etc. They need to recognize these things, then use them to their best advantage; and coordinate all the individual pieces into a unit greater than the sum of it's individual parts.
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This is an interesting point and never really thought about it during my 23 years in the Army. Just an FYI - The German Armed Forces wear marksmanship cords called a "SchĂĽtzenschnur" which by regulation, is awarded only to NCOs and Enlisted personnel.
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It must be an officer Reg. I've been around every branch and have never seen an officer wear a marksmanship badge or ribbon. The only branch that I've seen a officer wear a marksmanship badge is the Marines.
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I was a Drill Sergeant on Sand Hill, Ft. Benning in the late 60's. I always maintained an Expert rating in all weapons that I taught. I went to the "Benning School for Boys", Officer Candidate School in 70 eventually retiring as a Captain in 86. I always wore my Expert qualification badge even on dress Blues and wore them with pride alongside my Paratrooper wings and Aviator wings.
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