Weapons Qualification Badges of West Point USMA and the U.S. Marine Corps.  

The Smallarms Expert Ribbon of the Air Force Academy and USAF.

The U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Marine Corps Weapons Qualification Badges instead of Marksmanship Ribbons.   The U.S. Army considers weapon qualification badges to be optional and will allow a service member to operate any weapon after receiving a “familiarization qualification” this means that the soldier is familiar with that particular weapon he generally understands it but an above average qualifications score was not obtained.  

The U.S. Marine Corps, however, will not allow a service member to exit initial basic training or The Basic School For Officers until a qualification above Marksman has been obtained.  Note that all Commissioned Officers graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy who choose the Marine Corps for their service selection cannot take their rifle and pistol qualifications earned while at the Academy.  They must all qualify under the tougher Marine Corps standards.   

The Qualification Badges are presented to service members upon successful completion of their respective weapons qualification course.

There are three levels of Weapons Qualification Badges:  Marksman, Sharpshooter and Expert.   The Marine Corps presently provides weapons qualification badges for the pistol and rifle only.   

U.S. Army issue the same badges for a multiture of weapons.  The Army weapons qualification badges display various qualified weapons by bars which are hung below the badge itself.  
The current authorized weapons bars are as follows:

Rifle	Pistol	Artillery	Auto Rifle	Machinegun
Field Artillery	Tank Weapons	Flamethrower	Submachine Gun	Grenade
Carbine	Recoilless Rifle	Rocket Launcher	Mortar	Bayonet
Small Bore Rifle	Small Bore Pistol	Missile	Aero-weapons

The Army also awards a  Distinguished Shot Badge for those who obtain expert weapons scores at shooting competitions like the Nationals Matches at Camp Perry.

 USMA / U.S. Army Weapons Qualification Badge

Marksman	Sharpshooter	Expert	Bar (hooks under badge)

U.S. Marine Corps Weapons Qualification Badge

Marine Corps weapons qualification badges are suspended beneath a bar reading the type of weapon and qualification received. The badge is also different in appearance, depending on which weapon qualification has been obtained.

For a weapon qualification badge to be obtained, a service member must obtain an above average score (usually out of 300 points) and will receive a qualification level depending on the score obtained. Once a qualification has been obtained, and the weapons qualification badge issued, the badge may be worn for the remainder of a military career.

Air Force Ribbon and Device pin

SMALLARMS EXPERT	Bronze Service Star (worn on the ribbon)

The U.S. Air Force Academy award a single ribbon, known as the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, for an expert qualification on either the M-16A2 automatic rifle or a designated handgun weapon. The ribbon is issued in one degree only; however, a Bronze Service Star may be worn on the decoration for those who have qualified expert on both the handgun and M16A2 battle rifle.

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Last modified: 08/01/08 08:23 AM -0500 

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