Air Assault Badge

Air Assault Badge
Awarded by United States Army
Type	Badge
Awarded for	Air Assault training course
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	1974
Last awarded	Ongoing
Precedence
Next (higher)	Pathfinder Badge
Next (lower)	Aviation Badges[1]

The Air Assault Badge^[2] is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School. The course includes three phases of instruction involving U.S. Army rotary wing aircraft: combat air assault operations; rigging and slingloading operations; and rappelling from a helicopter.

According to the United States Army Institute of Heraldry, "The Air Assault Badge was approved by the Chief of Staff, Army, on 18 January 1978, for Army-wide wear by individuals who successfully completed Air Assault training after 1 April 1974. The badge had previously been approved as the Airmobile Badge authorized for local wear by the Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, effective 1 April 1974."^[3] The division had been reorganized from parachute to airmobile in mid-1968 in Vietnam and designated the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). The parenthetical designation changed to Air Assault on 4 October 1974 and the name of the badge was likewise changed.^[4]

Training locations

Formal air assault training has been conducted at Fort Campbell, Kentucky by the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) since the Air Assault School was formed in 1974. During the early stages of the occupation of Iraq in late 2003, the division conducted a course in-theater to maintain Air Assault proficiency.^[5]

Air Assault training is also offered by the Army National Guard (ARNG) Warrior Training Center^[6] at Fort Benning, which conducts training both at the post and at a variety of other locations throughout the United States^[7] by means of Mobile Training Teams.

A III Corps Air Assault School was announced for Fort Hood that was to start in June 2012.^[8] The first class of the XVIII Airborne Corps Air Assault School at Fort Bragg, NC graduated on October 4, 2013^[9]

Air assault training has also been conducted for varying durations of time at other locations, although most do not currently do so (2013):

• Camp Blanding, FL (FL ARNG; intermittent operations)
• Camp Carroll, Fort Richardson, AK (6th Infantry Division (Light) and AK ARNG)^[10]
• Camp Crowder, MO (MO ARNG hosting MTT, Feb - Mar 2012)^[11]
• Camp Gruber Maneuver Training Center, OK (OK ARNG) (1988-1994)^[12]
• Camp Rilea, OR
• Camp Smith, NY
• Camp Hovey, Korea (2001, hosted by the 2d Brigade, 2d Infantry Division); 25 February - 8 March 2013, 1st BCT, 2d Infantry Division hosting a MTT from the Warrior Training Center, Fort Benning, GA)^[13]
• Camp Robertson, Schweinfurt, Germany (2005, hosted by the 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry Division; 2011, hosted by the 21st Theater Sustainment Command)^[14][15][16]
• Fort Belvoir, VA (Military District of Washington)
• Fort Benning, GA (ARNG Warrior Training Center) (Jan 2006–Present)^[6][17]
• Fort Bliss, TX (MTT, March 2011)^[18]
• Fort Bragg, NC (XVIII Airborne Corps)
• Fort Carson, CO (4th Infantry Division/3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment via MTT hosted by 10th Special Forces Group)
• Fort Drum, NY (10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry))^[19][20]
• Fort Hood, TX (Conducted by the LRRP Platoon, 2d Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 2nd Armored Division in the mid-1980s. Rappelmaster certification courses were also offered; MTT in October 2011; III Corps AAS started in June 2012)^{[21][22][23][24]}
• Fort Knox, KY^[25]
• Fort McCoy Total Force Training Center, WI (Light Fighter Academy)
• Fort Ord, CA (7th Infantry Division (Light))
• Fort Polk, LA (near Warrior Brigade, 128th Combat Support Battalion)
• Fort Riley, KS (1st Infantry Division; MTT in September 2009)^[26]
• Fort Rucker, AL (1st Aviation Brigade) (Nov 1983 - Oct 1995)
• Fort Pickett, VA (MTT)
• Fulda, Germany (11th Armored Cavalry Regiment)^[27]
• Schofield Barracks, HI (25th Infantry Division)^[28][29][30]

Wearing of the badge

The wearing of the Air Assault Badge on Army uniforms is governed by AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms.^[31]

Vietnam veterans of the 101st Airborne Division and 1st Cavalry Division have sought the retroactive award of the Air Assault Badge for their training and pioneering experience in combat, but the Army has yet to grant their request.^[32]

Origin

Maj. Jack R. Rickman is credited with the design of the Air Assault Badge when he was in 1971 on tour with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. He thought little of the outcome of the design assignment, given to him by a division operations officer, which the Army adopted officially in January 1978. He was made aware of his part in the badge design years later when he recognized his design work seen in a published photograph. He never earned a badge himself.^[33]

The design was influenced by the Parachutist Badge^[34] worn when the division was on jump status, as well as the Glider Badge^[35] worn by glider units during World War II. Charles Bloodworth, a pathfinder officer in the 101st during the early 1970s, wrote, "Locally designed and fabricated, the badge was deliberately crafted to mimic the glider wings of WWII. The nose of the Huey took the place of the glider body, and the horizontal rotor blade was the spitting image of the glider wing." The glider wing played an integral part of WWII, being a strong symbolic gesture to the pilots given permission to wear this badge.^[36]

The 101st returned from Vietnam to Fort Campbell, Kentucky and the 173rd Airborne Brigade was inactivated with its assets transferred to form the division's 3rd Brigade, at the time was on jump status. The remainder of the division was organized as Airmobile. In February 1974, Major General Sidney B. Berry, Commanding General, signed Division General Order 179 authorizing the wearing of the Airmobile Badge effective 1 April 1974, the same date that the 3rd Brigade would terminate its jump status.

Bloodworth describes the transition of the post-war division to fully Air Assault and the adoption of the Air Assault Badge at this link.

Background trimmings

Air Assault Badge with background trimming (oval) for 3d Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3d BCT, 101st Airborne Division

When the 101st Airborne Division was converted to air assault, it adopted the wear of the cloth background trimming (ovals) that are used to identify active airborne units --that is worn behind the U.S. Army's Parachutist Badge-- vise those who have earn their Parachutist Badge but are not assigned to an active airborne unit. According to AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, "a background trimming is authorized for organizations designated (by structure, equipment and mission) 'Airborne' or 'Air Assault' by HQ DA. Qualified personnel are authorized to wear the background trimming with the Parachutist Badge or Air Assault Badge."^[31] The following are the wing trimmings worn by the qualified members of air assault units but do not include all trimmings that are authorized to be found on the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry (TIOH) website:

101st Airborne Division:

• Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion ("Gladiators")
  • A Company ("Slayers") MRF
  • B Company ("Black Dragons")
  • C Company ("Spartans")
  • Headquarters and Support Company ("Sentries")
  • 101st Airborne Division Band ("Pride of the Eagle")
• 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Bastogne")(♣)
  • Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment ("Bandits")
  • 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment ("Bulldogs")
  • 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment ("No Slack")
  • 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment ("Red Currahee")
  • 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment ("Proud Americans")
  • 326th Brigade Engineer Battalion ("Sapper Eagles")
  • 426th Brigade Support Battalion ("Taskmasters")
• 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Strike")(♥)
  • Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment ("Widowmakers")
  • 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment ("First Strike")
  • 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment ("Strike Force")
  • 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment ("Blue Spaders")
  • 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment ("Top Guns")
  • 39th Brigade Engineer Battalion ("Raptor")
  • 526th Brigade Support Battalion ("Best by Performance")
• 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Rakkasan")()
  • Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • 1st Squadron, 33d Cavalry Regiment("War Rakkasans")
  • 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment ("Leader Rakkasans")
  • 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment ("Iron Rakkasans")
  • 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment ("White Currahee")
  • 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment ("Red Knights")
  • 21st Engineer Battalion ("Rak Solid")
  • 626th Brigade Support Battalion ("Assurgam")
• 101st Combat Aviation Brigade ("Wings of Destiny")(♦)
  • Headquarters and Headquarters Company ("Hell Cats")
  • 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment ("Out Front")
  • 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment ("Expect No Mercy")
  • 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment ("Eagle Assault")
  • 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment (General Support) ("Shadow of the Eagle")
  • 96th Aviation Support Battalion ("Troubleshooters")

Army National Guard air assault units

Trimmings have been denied by the Institute of Heraldry to units in the Army National Guard, such as the California ARNG's 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment^[37] although they have the parenthetical designation “Air Assault”.

As late as 2004: “current policy requires units to be designated as Airborne or Air Assault for Soldiers to be authorized the wear of the background trimming insignia on their service uniform. Force structure developers within Headquarters, Department of the Army, utilized the Air Assault Modified Table of Organization and Equipment (MTOE) when documenting your unit’s structure. Accordingly, the use of the Air Assault MTOE template for your organization was intended to provide Combatant Commanders a more ‘robust’ infantry structure, not to increase the number of air assault units in our Army today. Therefore, your MTOE narrative does not designate an air assault mission to your unit, nor does the current document provide the full resources normally authorized a designated Air Assault organization. Granting your request is not in keeping with the intent for which the organization was initially created; thus your request is denied.”^[38]

Original badge

On 7 February 1963, the colors of the 11th Airborne Division were reactivated at Fort Benning, GA, as the 11th Air Assault Division (Test). The 11th was a small unit, never intended for deployable status, and used to test the airmobile concept then under development. Units of the 2nd Infantry Division, also located at Fort Benning, were “borrowed” for large-scale airmobile tests and maneuvers.

An earlier Air Assault Badge, pictured on the right, was worn in the early 1960s by troops of 11th who qualified for it by making three helicopter rappels from 60 feet (18 m) and three from 120 feet (37 m).^[39] Soldiers were also required to be knowledgeable of aircraft safety procedures; familiar with aircraft orientation; proficient in hand and arm signals and combat assault operations; able to prepare, inspect and rig equipment for external sling loads; and able to lash down equipment inside helicopters. The badge was first awarded in early 1964 and was only authorized for wear by soldiers within the 11th, as it was a division award and not authorized for Army-wide wear by the Department of the Army.^[40][41]

On 30 June 1965, the colors of the 11th Air Assault Division were deactivated and its assets merged with the 2nd Infantry Division to become the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). The colors of the 2nd Infantry Division were sent to Korea, where the existing 1st Cavalry Division was reflagged as 2nd Infantry Division and the colors of the 1st Cavalry Division sent to Fort Benning. Shortly thereafter the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) was sent to Vietnam.

Air Force wear

All of the military services can and do send personnel to the U.S. Army's Air Assault School, but only the Air Force allows for the Air Assault Badge to be worn on the uniform. For several decades only USAF personnel attached to the 101st Airborne Division were allowed to wear the badge, and only at that duty assignment, paralleling US Army policy from 1974 to 1978 for Army soldiers; however, as of the 17 January 2014 update to AFI36-2903 (USAF uniform regulations), U.S. Air Force personnel are authorized to wear the Air Assault Badge along with other special skill badges they have earned through the other Uniformed Services. This means that only the Army and the Air Force authorize their personnel to wear the Air Assault Badge on their uniforms upon graduation of the Air Assault Course.^{[42][43][44][45]}

Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard wear

The Army's Air Assault Badge is not authorized for wear on uniforms of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, or U.S. Coast Guard.^[46][47][48]

References

External links

• VIETNAM STUDIES - AIRMOBILITY 1961-1971
• Airmobile: The Early Years in the United States, 1963-1965