Posted on Nov 17, 2023
How can I obtain my Pathfinder badge that I earned through attending Pathfinder school while in South Vietnam in 1966?
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How can I obtain my pathfinder badge attended Pathfinder school first Aviation Brigade South Vietnam 1966? The school is on my DD 214, but I was not awarded the Pathfinder badge. I'm 75 years old I would like to try to obtain this Pathfinder badge before the last LZ.
Posted 5 mo ago
Responses: 3
I want to make sure I understand what you're asking.
Is it "I am eligible for it but want to get official verification", "I want to replace my Pathfinder Badge", or is it "I wasn't awarded the Pathfinder Badge when I was in the service and want to qualify for it now"?
Is it "I am eligible for it but want to get official verification", "I want to replace my Pathfinder Badge", or is it "I wasn't awarded the Pathfinder Badge when I was in the service and want to qualify for it now"?
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SPC Robert Siravo
Yes that is correct I was not awarded the Pathfinder badge while in service the school is on my DD 214 I worked as a Pathfinder in South Vietnam for at least 9 months I am a 1 1b20
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COL Randall C.
SPC Robert Siravo - I haven't forgotten about you. I kept digging but was only able to find back to the eligibility for the Pathfinder Badge going back to 1977 (I couldn't just use today's AR 600-8-22 in case eligibility had changed from almost 60 years ago...). At that point, the eligibility was still "Successful completion of the Pathfinder Course conducted by the U.S. Army Infantry School"
Regardless, it still had the caveat that "any person previously awarded the Pathfinder award for completion of Pathfinder training is authorized".
Having said that, what you can do is contact the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)* and request that they verify your eligibility for the Pathfinder badge. The NPRC would verify the awards to which you're entitled and forward the request along with the records verification to the Army (HRC) for the issuance of the badge.
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* NPRC - https://www.archives.gov/veterans/replace-medals
Regardless, it still had the caveat that "any person previously awarded the Pathfinder award for completion of Pathfinder training is authorized".
Having said that, what you can do is contact the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)* and request that they verify your eligibility for the Pathfinder badge. The NPRC would verify the awards to which you're entitled and forward the request along with the records verification to the Army (HRC) for the issuance of the badge.
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* NPRC - https://www.archives.gov/veterans/replace-medals
Military Awards and Decorations
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) does not issue service medals; that is a function of each military service department. Requests for the issuance or replacement of military service medals, decorations and awards should be directed to the specific branch of the military in which the veteran served. However, for cases involving Air Force and Army personnel (click here for exceptions), the NPRC will verify the awards to which a...
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