Parachutist Badge (United States)

To be eligible for award of the Parachutist Badge, an individual must have completed the Basic Airborne Course of the Airborne School of the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Moore, Georgia. To graduate, a student must complete the three-phase course consisting of a ground phase, a tower phase, and a jump phase. By the end of the course, a student will have completed five jumps in varying jump configurations, from a "no load" jump all the way to a full combat load jump at night.[1]

To be eligible for the Senior Parachutist Badge, an individual must have been rated excellent in character and efficiency and have met the following requirements:

1. Participated in a minimum of 30 jumps including fifteen jumps with combat equipment to consist of normal TOE equipment including individual weapon carried in combat whether the jump was in actual or simulated combat. In cases of simulated combat the equipment will include water, rations (actual or dummy), ammunition (actual or dummy), and other essential items necessary to sustain an individual in combat. Two night jumps must also be made during the hours of darkness (regardless of time of day with respect to sunset) one of which will be as jumpmaster of a stick. In addition, two mass tactical jumps which culminate in an airborne assault problem with either a unit equivalent to a battalion or larger; a separate company battery; or an organic staff of regimental size or larger. The soldier must fill a position commensurate with his or her rank or grade during the problem.
2. Either graduated from the Jumpmaster Course of the Airborne Department of the Infantry School or from the Jumpmaster School of a separate airborne battalion or larger airborne unit, or infantry divisions and separate infantry brigades containing organic airborne elements (e.g. the United States Army Alaska (USARAK) or the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Jumpmaster Course), or served as jumpmaster on one or more combat jumps or as a jumpmaster on 15 noncombat jumps.
3. Have served on jump status with an airborne unit or other organizations authorized parachutists for a total of at least 24 months.[1]

To be eligible for the Master Parachutist Badge, an individual must have been rated excellent in character and efficiency and have met the following requirements:

1. Participated in a minimum of 65 jumps including twenty-five jumps with combat equipment to consist of normal TOE equipment, including individual weapon carried by the individual in combat whether the jump was in actual or simulated combat. In cases of simulated combat the equipment will include water rations (actual or dummy), ammunition (actual or dummy), and other essential items necessary to sustain an individual in combat. Four night jumps must also be made during the hours of darkness, one as jumpmaster of a stick. Five mass tactical jumps must be made which culminate in an airborne assault problem with a unit equivalent to a battalion or larger; a separate company/battery; or an organic staff of regimental size or larger. The individual must fill a position commensurate with their rank or grade during the problem.
2. Either graduated from the Jumpmaster Course of the Airborne Department of the Infantry School or the Jumpmaster School of a separate airborne battalion or larger airborne unit, or infantry divisions and separate infantry brigades containing organic airborne elements, including the U.S. Army Alaska Jumpmaster Course, or served as jumpmaster on one or more combat jumps or as jumpmaster on 33 noncombat jumps.
3. Have served on jump status with an airborne unit or other organization authorized parachutists for a total of 36 months (may be non-consecutive).

The 25 combat equipment jumps necessary to qualify for the Master Parachutist Badge must be from a static line.[1]

The master parachutist badge is 1+1⁄2 inches (38 mm) wide at the widest part of the wings and 1+13⁄64 inches (31 mm) from the top of the wreath to the bottom of the parachute where the risers meet in a point.

A Parachutist Badge from a WW2 veteran with the 506th Parachute Infantry—as indicated by the airborne background trimming—who made two combat jumps—as indicated by the two combat jump devices on the badge.

Soldiers assigned to Army units on airborne status wear a cloth oval, known as airborne background trimming, underneath their Parachutist Badge, which are uniquely designed for each airborne unit.[5][6] This is one method by which an individual can identify a parachute qualified soldier serving in a unit on active jump status, called a "Paratrooper," versus a parachutist serving in a non-airborne unit. The original airborne background trimming was also a contribution of Captain Yarborough who attempted to address a concern that the Parachutist Badge was too small and did not stand out on the uniform.[5] Today, each unit's airborne background trimming design is created and approved by The Institute of Heraldry who evaluate unit lineage, military heraldry, as well as proposed designs by the requesting unit.[7]

If a soldier completes an airborne jump into a combat zone, they are authorized to wear a combat jump device on their Parachutist Badge turning it into what is officially called a Combat Parachutist Badge. The device consists of a star or arrangements of stars, indicating the number of combat jumps (up to five) conducted by the paratrooper.[8] The use of stars as combat jump devices did not gain official approval until after the 1983 invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury). The stars are awarded as follows:[9][10]

The Parachutist Badge may be awarded following completion of basic parachute training through a designated Air Force Air-Ground Training Program. Air Force personnel generally earn the Military Parachutist Badge either through the Army's Airborne School at Fort Benning, or the United States Air Force Academy's AM-490 freefall parachute training course taught by AETC's 98th Flying Training Squadron.[17]

The Senior Parachutist Badge consists of the Military Parachutist Badge with a star atop the parachute. Awarded for 30 static line jumps with a minimum of 24 months of cumulative time on jump status. The 30 jumps must include:[20]

1. Two jumps during the hours of darkness
2. Fifteen jumps with operational equipment IAW AFI 11-410
3. Actually perform one night jump as a Primary JM (PJM)
4. Seven jumps performing as PJM

The Master Parachutist Insignia consists of the Senior Parachutist Badge with a star centered within the wreath. Awarded for 65 static line jumps with a minimum of 36 months of cumulative time on jump status. The 65 jumps must include:[20]

1. Four jumps during the hours of darkness
2. Twenty-five jumps with operational equipment IAW AFI 11-410
3. Two night jumps performing PJM duties
4. Fifteen jumps performing as PJM

The right to wear the Military Parachutist Insignia is based on the completion of prescribed training defined in OPNAVINST 3501.225 and MCO 3120.11:[22] The Marine Corps refers to it as the Basic Parachutist Insignia.[22]

When a US Navy enlisted member initially qualifies as a static line parachutist, an entry shall be made on NAVPERS 1070/613 (commonly referred to as a "Page 13" entry) of the US Navy enlisted service record indicating the date of qualification, type(s) of aircraft in which qualified, and unit at which the training was received. Navy enlisted members are authorized the parachutist (PJ) designator added to their rating.[22]

A qualified static-line parachute jumper who successfully completes the prescribed program of instruction while attending a formal, interservice training facility including a minimum of 10 military free-fall parachute jumps, at least 2 of which must have been conducted carrying full combat equipment (1 day/1 night), may qualify. Navy enlisted members are authorized the military free-fall parachutist (FPJ) designator added to their rating.[22]

When a US Navy officer initially qualifies as a static line parachutist, the additional qualification designator (AQD) of BT1 will be entered into the officer's record by their detailer (NAVPERS). Free-fall qualification will result in an AQD of BT2.[22]

For both Static Line and Military Free Fall Parachutist qualified personnel, a service record entry shall also indicate whether or not the member is HALO-qualified.[22]

The Military Parachutist Badge is a prerequisite for the Special Warfare Badge since parachutist training is an integral part of the Navy's Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) program. SEAL personnel generally do not wear the Basic badge once they earn their Special Warfare insignia, but will wear their Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Badge in addition to the Special Warfare Badge, the latter nicknamed the "Budweiser" badge. Navy EOD technicians are generally also jump qualified with a number of them also being qualified in military free-fall (HALO/HAHO). Currently, due to a recent change, newly pinned Navy EOD technicians are required to attend the U.S. Army's Basic Airborne School upon graduation. As well, a number of SWCC personnel earn the military parachutist badges in conjunction with their assignment to a Special Boat Team detachment that uses the Maritime Craft Air Delivery System (MCADS). This enables them to drop small watercraft and their crews from C-130 aircraft.[22]

The Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia (originally issued as Navy Parachute Rigger wings) is a gold-colored embroidered or metal insignia depicting an open parachute with outstretched wings. It is authorized for officers and enlisted personnel who were awarded the Military Parachutist Badge and, under competent orders, have completed a minimum of five additional static-line or P3 jumps, to include: (1) combat equipment day jump, two (2) combat equipment night jumps, and employ at least two (2) different types of military aircraft.[22]

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia was originally known as the U.S. Navy Certified Parachute Rigger badge and designed by American Insignia Company in 1942 for graduates of the U.S. Navy Parachute Rigger School. During WWII, despite being against uniform regulations it became common for U.S. Marine Corps paratroopers who were issued the silver U.S. Military Parachutist Badge to wear the gold Navy Certified Parachute Rigger badge because they believed the gold "Rigger wings" looked better on their uniform.[23] This out of regulations wearing of the Parachute Rigger badge became so common that in July 1963, the Commander of United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance Bruce F. Meyers sent a request to the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral George W. Anderson Jr. via Marine Corps Commandant General David M. Shoup requesting to officially make the Navy Parachute Rigger badge the parachutist badge for the Navy and Marine Corps. The request was approved by Admiral Anderson on 12 July 1963 per BuPers Notice 1020.[24] Originally the badge was worn upon graduation from Navy PR school, but since 1963 being a certified parachute rigger, survival equipmentman, and graduate of the U.S. Navy Parachute Rigger is no longer a requirement to earn the badge. Currently, the Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia only requires the completion of the minimum five additional jumps in a jump billet, but service members can request to attend Navy Parachute Rigger School for further training and specialized occupational duties such as Special Operations Parachute Rigger (SOPR) who work within Navy SEAL teams and Naval Special Warfare and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) units throughout the world.