Are badges "earned" or issued?

[chewse]

I often hear from others who served their country through military service that the “badge” worn by them in their particular branch, division, or regiment of the military was “earned.” I’m somewhat perplexed because I see it slightly different. When I was in the US Navy during the Vietnam conflict, I was issued a uniform that included various US Navy related insignias. In my view, those insignias were provided as part of the military uniform and anyone in the US Navy, who wore the uniform, had those same insignias (with some obvious exceptions). For me, the ribbons and medal as well as the ranking related patches and pins were more of what was “earned.”

I’m truly amazed at the large number of various types of badges issued by militaries outside of the United States. Are these badges, for instance, the ones that attach to a military cap, issued as part of the uniform or does the serviceman/woman have do something individually to earn the right to wear the badge? As an example, would an enlistee have to qualify (other than taking an entrance exam, passing a physical and progressing through basic training) to earn the right to become a member of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland?

I really lack a historical as well as current perspective of militaries outside of the States.

[Phillip Herring]

As an example, in basic training, we "earned" our cap badge (CF Tri Service badge) after passing our saluting test.
We were not allowed to wear the Communications and Electronics Branch badges until we had passed our basic electronics training and were on a branch specific trades course.
This was 25 years ago. Some things have changed.

Phil

[davec2]

I enlisted as a Junior Leader in May 1960, I was handed all necessary equipment including A/A shoulder titles and collar badges to my regiment, the DERR, I was also given a cap badge, that of the Infantry Training Battalion.

Trade, qualification and rank badges/insignia were all earned at a later date.

[Unknownsoldier]

Things like your CGB (Coveted Green Beret), cherry berry and SAS beret etc. are "Earnt", but usually badges are in my opinion issued....

Tom

HI there,

Nice to see you joining the forum with a very valid and potentially interesting thread.

This is a difficult one to answer in the wider context, however as you refer to a British Army Infantry Regiment in your initial post I will try to answer based in the general context of the British Infantry in general and from 25 years personal experience.

The British Army Infantry were based on (and still are in a much diluted formula) on a Regimental system which at it's peak was geographically based with what were known as county regiments,each of which had their own individual cap badge, these regiments usually had within their title the county from which they would recruit.

During WW2 certain ''special Regiments/units'' were formed as a war expediency and originally drawing recruits from those regiments already in existence as individuals or formed units with soldiers thus drawn/selected originally wearing their own regimental cap badges until these special force units came up with their own designs.

Some of these special units survive today and others have sprung up along the way.

All very long winded, however taking the above into consideration, the Regimental/unit cap badge (being Regimental/unit specific) is a revered item of military dress within the British armed forces and to put it lightly has resulted in more that one alteration between individuals and groups from different units.

Certainly in the British armed forces there are some teeth arm (fighting troops) qualification badges which are most revered, along with a couple of all arms badges, para qualification, commando qualification, special Op's and Platoon Sgts battle course for example. Many skills/qualifications are not however rewarded with any badge, examples being, close reconnaissance and jungle warfare, not taking into account the current special forces insignia, which is not for general public viewing.

My personal 25 years experience includes wearing a combat cap whilst being a recruit and only being issued (yes issued on merit) my Regimental beret and more importantly my Regimental cap badge after passing a number of tests in recruit training not only being military skills orientated but also based on Regimental history.

The US army changed to wearing berets and introduced different head wear badges some years ago to get away from the stereotype GI with no Regimental/unit identify image as a way of trying to introduce some esprit de corps, as previously only the army special forces wore berets.

I have recently worked alongside the USMC who don't want to change anything (especially there head wear, ao long as it has a stamped globe and anchor on it), I can not really comment about the US navy as the only guys I have worked along side are the corpsmen attached to the USMC, who certainly seem to live more by the marine ethos than anything else.

It would be great for you (or anyone else for that matter) to comment on the above.

[matti467]

My experience as a Territorial is that badges were very hard earned. It took some serious persuasive powers to extract one from our SQMS...!!
Matti

Originally Posted by matti467

My experience as a Territorial is that badges were very hard earned. It took some serious persuasive powers to extract one from our SQMS...!!
Matti

Matti, please rember stores are for storing, or some Quartermasters would have you think so

[JimD]

I was "issued" my cap badge, which I wore for 20 years!

Cheers
Jim

[Noiseboyz3]

There are various levels of "earning a badge". In the Canadian Forces an individual is issued the Tri-Service cap badge along with the rest of his uniform right at the beginning. It can be said he "earned" it because not all applicants to join the military are suitable and more people apply than there are positions available. So as a very loose definition these individuals have "earned" the right to wear the badge over others because they are suitable where others are not and they are more suitable than others who also met the enrolment requirements.

Not all personnel pass Basic Training and thus wear the Navy, Army or Air Force element cap so it can be said that those that do pass have earned their respective cap badges.

This process continues with the various cap badges, qualification badges, etc. being "earned" by fewer and fewer numbers from the masses who have the potential to earn them. The badges, etc. which can only be earned by a small number of personnel are the ones that hold the greatest pride of having been earned. As a personal example I have been awarded both the Canadian Forces Parachutist wings with silver maple leaf which shows that I am a paratrooper and the US Army senior parachutist wings. I have also been awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration (CD). I am extremely proud of both of my wings because only a small portion of the Canadian Forces are capable of "earning" them and wear my American wings with pride even though, by dress regulations, I am not supposed to unless serving in the US. Conversely, anyone who serves in the Canadian Forces at the minimum acceptable level or higher for 12 years and doesn't get into trouble is awarded the CD. Thus my respect and pride for the CD vice my wings is very low and since dress regulations say "may wear" and not "shall wear" I refuse to wear the CD. Frankly, it is embarrassing to wear an award of any kind if it takes little to no effort to earn it.

It might be interesting that in the Canadian Forces after basic training Navy and Air Force personnel begin wearing their element badge while Army personnel continue to wear the Tri-Service cap badge as there is not a specific element cap badge. After a second, more complex, level of basic training Army personnel are allowed to wear the insignia of their Corps. There are only two trades where personnel can only wear their unit cap badge once they have completed their trades training and that is the Infantry and the Armoured although I think the Artillery does not allow its troops to wear the corps badges until part way through their trades training. So it can be seen that Army personnel have to do more to "earn" their element cap badge and Infantry, Armoured and, to a degree, Artillery personnel have to do even more to earn their unit/Corps cap badge. It only stands to reason that the more that has to be done to "earn" something and the fewer that actually do so gives more meaning and emphasis to the term "earned".

As you can tell earning something vice just being given something by default has great meaning to me. Don't even get me started on how the guys running the leave centre in Germany for the Cyprus mission "earned" the same medal as those who carried out their duties in the middle of firefights between the Turks and Greeks in Cyprus.

Paul

[chewse]

Thanks to all again. And I guess the answer is it’s in each’ perspective and experience.

My father was a career military man in the US Air Force. He achieved the rank of Technical Sargent before he retired. The purpose of my joining the US Navy after high school was twofold: 1). to provide service to my country during trying times and 2). to get the GI Bill to pay for my college because my parents did not have the money to send me to college.

I joined the US Navy at the time of the Vietnam War and I was quite naive as to the consequences of my decision to do so. None the less, and fortunate for me, I saw very little combat. At the time of my enlistment, the draft was still in effect and, as such, the military service branches were taking just about any able body man between 17-28 years of age as long as they could pass the physical (which was not that extensive). The entrance exam as well as the training exams in boot camp were really, really rudimentary; very few men were not able to successfully pass the exams. And, the physical military training I completed in boot camp, I believe, was just not that strenuous. In this regard, I believe the military badges on my issued uniforms did not represent a major personal or team achievement in the service of my county so I feel these badges were not “earned” in the stricter sense of the word.

However, the Vietnam War ribbon that I received I do feel we earned because of the combat engagements that my shipmates and I had with the enemy. Additionally, the progressive ranks I achieved while in the service I also consider earned because of the leadership I had to demonstrate to superiors as well as the more difficult examination process that I had to pass.

[Chrisr]

I think both. The badge is issued, but you earn the right to wear it by serving in the unit it represents.

Interestingly, IIRC, the British SAS are "badged" after passing the selection course, whereas the sandy beret is worn by both "badged" and non-badged personnel. Is this still correct? In Australia, it is the opposite. those passing the selection course receive the beret, while all personnel wear the regimental badge - those not qualified wear the general service beret.

Regards
Chris

[SAS1]

I joined the Parachute Regiment, and had to pass a test to earn the right to wear the maroon beret, and then only on probation until passing another test. A further test saw me win the right to wear parachute wings. It's one case where a good comparison can be made.

In the current Airborne Brigade, nearly all personnel are given a maroon beret to wear simply to 'fit in' to it, causing a great deal of anger and resentment to those like myself who had to earn the right to wear it. Failure of the test meant goodbye to the Regiment. However, some little lady clerk serving in the Brigade now gets one as of right.

[Mike_2817]

I have wrote this elsewhere, Attached personnel to both the Parachute Brigade & SAS wear the Maroon or Sand Beret as an enbleshment with thier own cap badge , and have done so since the end of WWII But not the 'wings' for which you have to pass P Company or Selection plus the Jumps Course to wear.

Those attached to Parachute Trained Units such as 2 Para (i.e. REME LAD or RLC Chefs) tend to be P Coy trained, with attached major units such as Workshops & Transport only having a small cadre of parachute trained personnel, but all wearing the beret.

It was so even in WWII with Parachute trained (both Wings & Lightbulb), Glider trained, and non-trained personnel within 1 & 6 Airborne Divsions. Look at Market & Garden eliments for Arnham....


The Wings are the true mark of an Airborne Soldier.

[sketchley kid]

3rd.Hussars in Palestine in 46/47 wore the Maroon Beret and Pegasus Div.sign. with their own cap badge.

[cw2311]

Originally Posted by chewse

I often hear from others who served their country through military service that the “badge” worn by them in their particular branch, division, or regiment of the military was “earned.” I’m somewhat perplexed because I see it slightly different. When I was in the US Navy during the Vietnam conflict, I was issued a uniform that included various US Navy related insignias. In my view, those insignias were provided as part of the military uniform and anyone in the US Navy, who wore the uniform, had those same insignias (with some obvious exceptions). For me, the ribbons and medal as well as the ranking related patches and pins were more of what was “earned.”

I’m truly amazed at the large number of various types of badges issued by militaries outside of the United States. Are these badges, for instance, the ones that attach to a military cap, issued as part of the uniform or does the serviceman/woman have do something individually to earn the right to wear the badge? As an example, would an enlistee have to qualify (other than taking an entrance exam, passing a physical and progressing through basic training) to earn the right to become a member of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland?

I really lack a historical as well as current perspective of militaries outside of the States.

To answer the question whether badges are “earned or issued”. Let’s first qualify what is meant by “badges” ….NOT berets or medals or other accoutrements….but rather Trade badges?... qualification badges?...or do you include the shoulder flashes and collar dogs, etc... that come with the a standard uniform?....

If we are speaking about trade badges or qualification badges, then that’s an easy answer. All trade or qualification badges are EARNED. An untrained recruit doesn’t get anything until he/she has completed the minimal requirement of the regiment.

Cheers!