Obsolete badges of the United States military

Obsolete badges of the United States military are a number of U.S. military insignia which were issued in the 20th and 21st centuries that are no longer used today. After World War II many badges were phased out of the United States Armed Forces in favor of more modern military badges which are used today.

Henry "Hap" Arnold wearing the Army Air Forces' Master Pilot Badge (above ribbons) and Army Signal Corps' Military Aviator Badge (below ribbons)

A unique obsolete badge situation occurred with General of the Air Force Henry H. Arnold, who in 1913 was among the 24 Army pilots to receive the first Military Aviator Badge, an eagle bearing Signal Corps flags suspended from a bar.^[1] Replaced in 1917 by the more conventional "wings" embroidered design (authorized as an oxidized silver badge in 1921), Arnold displayed both types on his uniform throughout his career. The original Military Aviator Badge design can be seen in pictures of him in uniform.

The following is a listing of obsolete U.S. military badges and insignia organized by branch of service.

U.S. Army

Army Aviation Section/Air Service

Signal Corps Military Aviator Badge[1]
Air Service Airplane Pilot Badge[1]
Bombing Aviator Badge[1]
Aeronaut Badge[1]
Enlisted Aviator Badge[1]
Observer Badge[1]
Wound Chevron[1]

Army Air Forces

Aerial Gunner Badge[1]
Airship Pilot Badge[1]
Balloon Pilot Badge[1]
Balloon Observer Badge[1]
Bombardier Badge[1]
Flight Engineer Badge[1]
Flight Nurse Badge[1]
Flight Surgeon Badge[1]
Flight Surgeon Dentist Badge[1]
Glider Pilot Badge[1]
Instructor Badge[1]
Liaison Pilot Badge[1]
Navigator Badge[1]
Observer Badge[1]
Service Pilot Badge[1]
Technical Observer Badge[1]
Women Airforce Service Pilots Badge[1]
Women Airforce Service Pilots Badge (early version)[1]
Army Air Forces Technician Badge[1]
Distinguished Aerial Badges[2][3]

Regular Army

Marksman Buttons		Replaced by Rifle Marksmanship Badges in 1897[4]
Marksmanship Prize Badges		Replaced by Team Marksmanship Badges in 1903[5]
Artillery Qualification Badges		Retired in 1913 and reintroduced as a qualification clasp for the Marksmanship Qualification Badges in 1921[6][7]
Rifle Marksmanship Badges		Replaced by Marksmanship Qualification Badges in 1921 and adopted by the Marine Corps.[8]
Pistol Marksmanship Badges		In 1915, the expert version of the badge was replaced with a new design, which lives on in today's U.S. Marine Corps Expert Pistol Badge. All pistol badges were replaced by the Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Pistol Clasp in 1921 and adopted by the Marine Corps.[8]
Team Marksmanship Badges		Replaced with new three piece design between 1922 and 1924[9]
Corps of Intelligence Police Identification Badge		Replaced by Counterintelligence Special Agent Identification Badge on 13 December 1941
Counterintelligence Special Agent Identification Badge		Replaced with a different design between 1947 and 1948
Distinguished Automatic Rifleman Badge		Retired in the late 1940s or early 1950s[9][10][11]
Team Marksmanship Badges		Replaced by Army Excellence-in-Competition Badges in 1958[9][12][13][14]
Glider Badge		Retired on 3 May 1961[15]
Counterintelligence Special Agent Identification Badge		Replaced with a different design
Driver and Mechanic Badge–Aviation Mechanic and Crew Chief		Replaced with Army Aviation Badges in January 1966[16]
Air Assault Badge (11th Air Assault Division–Test)		Replaced with Airmobile Badge in April 1974 which was renamed the Air Assault Badge in January 1978[17][18][19]
Recondo Badges (various designs)		Discontinued in the 1980s but a different version of it continues to be issued as a special skills badge in the U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps[20]
Nuclear Reactor Operator Badges		Retired on 1 October 1990[21]
Jungle Expert Badge (ARSOUTH)		Retired in 1999 and reinvented in 2014 as the Jungle Expert Tab for USARPAC
Reserve Recruiter Identification Badge		Replaced with the Army Recruiter Identification Badges in April 2001[22][23][24]
Medical Department Recruiter Identification Badge		Replaced with the Army Recruiter Identification Badges in June 2001[25]
Scuba Diver Badge		Replaced by the Special Operations Diver Badge on 17 September 2004[26][27][28]
National Guard Recruiter and Retention Identification Badges		Replaced with new designs on 12 May 2008[29]
Jungle Expert Tab (USARPAC)		Replaced with new design
Arctic Tab (USARAK)		Replaced with new design, later redesignated as a unit tab for USARPAC units assigned to Alaska[30]
Physical Fitness Badge		Rescinded February 2024.[31]

U.S. Air Force

Air Force Command Flight Surgeon Badge		Replaced by Chief Flight Surgeon Badge on 1 June 1959[32]
Air Force Parachutist Badges		Replaced by Army & Air Force Parachutist Badges in 1963[32]
Air Police Badge		Replaced by Security Police Badge in November 1966[33]
Air Force Training Instructor Badges		Replaced by Air Education and Training Command Instructor Badges[32]
Gold National Excellence-In-Competition Badges[34][35]
Gold & Silver Elementary Excellence-In-Competition Badges[35][36]
Combat Control Team Crest		Replaced with new design in 1984[37]
Air Force Recruiter Badges		Replaced with new designs and additional grades/awards
Air Force Combat Crew Badge		Retired in August 1993[38]
Special Operations Weather Team Crest		Replaced with Combat Weather Team Crest in 2002[39]
Space and Missile Badges		Replaced by Space Operations Badges on 1 Nov 2005[40][41]
Air Force Communications and Information Badges		Replaced by Cyberspace Support Badges on 1 Jun 2010[42]
Air Force Honor Guard Badge		Replaced with new design
Air Force RPA Sensor Operator Badges		Replaced with Enlisted Aircrew Badges on 4 November 2016[43]
Special Operations Weather Crest		Replaced with Special Reconnaissance Crest in 2019[44][45]
Scuba Diver Badge		Replaced by the Air Force Combat Dive Badges in 2022[46]

U.S. Marine Corps

Marksmanship Competition Badges		Replaced with new designs between 1910 and 1930.[47]
Rifle Marksmanship Badges		Replaced by the Army's Marksmanship Qualification Badges in 1924, reinstituted in 1937, and replaced by the Marine Corps's current Rifle Qualification Badges in 1958[48][49]
Marksmanship Qualification Badges		Adopted by the Army and replaced by Rifle Marksmanship Badges and Basic Badge in 1937.[48][49]
Expert Team Rifleman Badge[11]
Basic Badge		Retired in December 1968[48][49]
Military Police Badge		Replaced with a new design

U.S. Coast Guard

Coast Guard Flight Officer Badge		Discontinued on 22 November 1991[50]
Office of the Secretary of Transportation Badge		Discontinued in 2003
Sector Command Identification Badges		Removed from Uniform Regulations in March 2012[51][52]
Unit Command Identification Badges		Removed from Uniform Regulations in August 2018[52][53]
Rating Force Master Chief Identification Badge		Replaced with a new design in August 2018[52][53]

U.S. Navy

Sharpshooter's Badge		Replaced with Marksmanship Ribbons in 1920.[11][54][55]
Naval Aviation Observer Insignia		Replaced with new design in October 1929[56]
Expert Team Rifleman Badge[11]
Naval Aviation Observer (Tactical) Insignia		Replaced with Naval Aviation Observer Insignia in 1947[56]
Naval Aviation Observer (Radar) Insignia		Replaced with Naval Aviation Observer Insignia in 1947[56]
Naval Aviation Observer (Navigator) Insignia		Replaced with the Naval Aviation Observer Insignia in 1947;[56] this badge is still in use by the U.S. Marine Corps as the Marine Aerial Navigator insignia.
Naval Flight Surgeon Insignia		Replaced with new design in 1952[56]
Naval Flight Nurse Insignia		Replaced with new design in 1952[56]
Dirigible Pilot Insignia		Retired in 1978[56]
Enlisted Special Warfare Insignia		Replaced with Special Warfare Insignia
Underwater Demolition Officer Insignia		Replaced with Special Warfare Insignia in 1975
Underwater Demolition Enlisted Insignia		Replaced with Special Warfare Insignia in 1975
Scuba Officer Insignia
Navy Reserve Merchant Marine Insignia		Replaced by Strategic Sealift Officer Warfare Insignia in June 2011[57][58]
MAA/Law Enforcement Badges		Some replaced and some discontinued in June 2011[58]
Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman Insignia		Replaced with three different skill level insignias on 19 August 2016[59]

Joint Service Badges

The National Match Team ("Dogs of War") Badge		Replaced with bronze, silver, and gold medals in 1919.[9]
White House Service Badge		Replaced by the Presidential Service Badge on 1 September 1964[60]
Vice Presidential Service Badge		Replaced with new design on 19 July 1976[49][61]
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge		Replaced with new design on 4 October 2021[62]

See also

• Obsolete military awards of the United States
• United States Army branch insignia#Obsolete insignia
• List of United States Coast Guard ratings#Obsolete ratings (1990–present)
• List of United States Navy ratings#Discontinued and changed ratings (1972–present)
• Military badges of the United States
• Uniformed services of the United States

References

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3. U.S. Army Air Corps - Between The Wars, Aviation Wings and Badges of World War II, last accessed 25 January 2013
4. Marksman Buttons, Weapons Badges, U.S. Army Insignia, by William K. Emerson, last accessed 19 May 2013
5. Marksmanship Prizes, 1881-1902, Weapons Badges, U.S. Army Insignia, by William K. Emerson, last accessed 24 April 2014
6. U.S. Army Artillery Qualification Badges, 1891-1913, U. S. Army Insignia, William K. Emerson, last accessed 25 January 2013
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11. National Geographic Magazine, October 1943, published October 1943, last accessed 24 April 2014
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14. Army Excellence-in-Competition Badge (post yours too!), U.S. Militara Forum, last accessed 31 December 2012
15. Title 32: National Defense, Section 578.95 - Glider Badge (Rescinded), U.S. Government Printing Office, Code of Federal Regulations, last accessed 21 January 2013
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