[Title 32 CFR 578.62]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - July 1, 2002 Edition]
[Title 32 - NATIONAL DEFENSE]
[Chapter V - DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY]
[Subchapter F - PERSONNEL]
[Part 578 - DECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBONS, AND SIMILAR DEVICES]
[Sec. 578.62 - Qualification badges and tabs.]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
32NATIONAL DEFENSE32002-07-012002-07-01falseQualification badges and tabs.578.62Sec. 578.62NATIONAL DEFENSEDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMYPERSONNELDECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBONS, AND SIMILAR DEVICES
Sec. 578.62 Qualification badges and tabs.
(a) Driver and Mechanic Badge--(1) Purpose. This badge is awarded to
denote the attainment of a high degree of skill in the operation and
maintenance of motor vehicles. Component bars are authorized only for
the following types of vehicles and/or qualifications:
(i) Driver--W (for wheeled vehicles).
(ii) Driver--T (for tracked vehicles).
(iii) Driver--M (for motorcycles).
(iv) Driver--A (for amphibious vehicles).
(v) Mechanic (for automotive or allied trade vehicles).
(vi) Operator--S (for special mechanical equipment).
(2) Eligibility requirements for drivers. The individual must have:
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(i) Qualified for and possess a current U.S. Government Motor
Vehicle Operator's Identification Card (SF 46), issued as prescribed by
AR 600-55; and
(ii) Performed assigned duty as a driver or assistant driver of Army
vehicles for a minimum of 12 consecutive months, or during at least
8,000 miles and has no Army motor vehicle accident or traffic violation
recorded on his Driver Qualification Record (DA Form 348); or
(iii) Performed satisfactorily for a minimum period of 1 year as an
active qualified driver instructor, or motor vehicle driver examiner.
(3) Eligibility requirements for mechanics. The individual must
have:
(i) Passed aptitude tests and have completed the standard mechanics;
course with a ``skilled'' rating or have demonstrated possession of
sufficient previous experience as an automotive mechanic to justify such
a rating; and
(ii) Been assigned to primary duty as an automotive mechanic, second
echelon or higher, or as an active automotive mechanic instructor; and
(iii) If required to drive an Army motor vehicle in connection with
automotive mechanic or automotive mechanic instructor duties, qualified
for motor vehicle operators permit as prescribed above, and performed
duty which included driving motor vehicles for a minimum of 6
consecutive months, and had no Army motor vehicle accident or traffic
violation recorded on his Driver Qualification Record (DA Form 348).
(4) Eligibility requirements for operators of special mechanical
equipment. A soldier or civilian whose primary duty involves operation
of Army materials handling or other mechanical equipment must have
completed 12 consecutive months or 500 hours of operation, whichever
comes later, without accident or written reprimand as the result of his
operation, and his operating performance must have been adequate in all
respects.
(5) Who may award. Commanding officers of regiments, battle groups,
separate battalions, and any commanding officer in the grade of
lieutenant colonel or higher.
(b) Basic qualification badges. A basic qualification badge is
awarded to indicate the degree in which an individual, military or
civilian, has qualified in a prescribed record course and an appropriate
bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which he qualified. Each bar
will be attached to the basic badge which indicates the qualification
last attained with the respective weapon. Basic qualification badges are
of three classes: Expert, sharpshooter, and marksman. The only weapons
for which component bars are authorized are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weapon Inscription
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rifle..................................... Rifle.
Pistol.................................... Pistol.
Antiaircraft artillery.................... AA Artillery.
Automatic rifle........................... Auto rifle.
Machine gun............................... Machine gun.
Field Artillery........................... Field Arty.
Tank Weapons.............................. Tank Weapons.
Flamethrower.............................. Flamethrower.
Submachine gun............................ Submachine gun.
Rocket Launcher........................... Rocket Launcher.
Grenade................................... Grenade.
Carbine................................... Carbine.
Recoilless rifle.......................... Recoilless Rifle.
Mortar.................................... Mortar.
Bayonet................................... Bayonet.
Rifle, small bore......................... Small bore rifle.
Pistol, small bore........................ Small bore pistol.
Missile................................... Missile.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Who may award--(1) To military personnel. Any commander in the
grade or position of lieutenant colonel or higher may make awards to
members of the Armed Forces of the United States. ROTC camp commanders
and professors of military science of ROTC may make awards to members of
the ROTC.
(2) To civilian personnel. Except to uniformed civilian guards,
awards to civilians will be made only by the Director of Civilian
Marksmanship, Headquarters, Department of the Army. The authorization
for civilian guards to wear marksmanship badges may be made by
installation commanders. Civilian guards will procure badges at their
own expense.
(d) Revocation of awards--(1) Basic qualification badges. An award
for previous qualification is revoked automatically whenever an
individual, upon completion of firing a record course for which the
previous award was made,
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has not attained the same qualification. If the bar which is revoked
automatically is the only one authorized to be worn on the respective
basic qualification badge, the award of the basic badge likewise is
revoked automatically. An award once revoked will not be reinstated.
(2) Driver and Mechanic Badge. An award of this badge will be
revoked only by a commander authorized to award the badge and only for
any of the following reasons:
(i) Motor vehicle driver and operator of special mechanical
equipment. (a) In the event of a moving traffic violation in which life
or property was endangered, or an accident which involved either
property damage or personal injury wherein the awardee was at fault.
(b) If the event of damage to the vehicle for which the awardee is
responsible due to lack of preventive maintenance.
(c) In the event of an unsatisfactory rating of the awardee as a
driver.
(ii) Motor Mechanic. (a) In the event of failure of awardee to
perform his assigned duties as a mechanic in an excellent manner.
(b) In the event of damage to vehicle or shop equipment as a result
of careless or inefficient performance of duty by the awardee.
(c) In the event of unsatisfactory shop performance by the awardee.
(3) Miscellaneous. An award of a distinguished designation badge or
the Excellence in Competition Badge will be revoked only by the
Commanding General, United States Continental Army Command, or by The
Adjutant General and only when an award has been made through error or
as the result of fraud.
(e) Distinguished designation badges--(1) Purpose. A Distinguished
Rifleman Badge or a Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge is awarded to a
member of the Army or to a civilian in recognition of a preeminent
degree of achievement in target practice firing with the standard
military service rifle or pistol. Winners of distinguished designation
badges will not part with them without authority of the Secretary of the
Army and will hold them subject to inspection at any time.
(2) Types of badges. Each badge consists of a bar and pendant. There
are two designs of bars: One with inscription ``US Army'' for award to
Army members; and the other with inscription ``US,'' for award to
civilians.
(3) Eligibility requirements. (i) A member of the Army will be
designated as a Distinguished Rifleman or Distinguished Pistol Shot when
he has earned three credits toward the distinguished designation,
provided that at least one credit was earned by having been awarded the
Excellence in Competition Badge for achievement in the National matches
or in the All-Army Championships.
(ii) A civilian will be designated by the Army as a Distinguished
Rifleman or Distinguished Pistol Shot when for the third time he has
qualified for award of the Excellence in Competition Badge, provided
that at least one of these awards was won in the National matches or for
having placed among the upper 50 percent of individuals determined to be
entitled to such awards in either a major command competition or
National Rifle Association Regional Championship match. Badges awarded
prior to 1948 will be considered toward achievement of the distinguished
designation under the rules of the match in which won. A credit granted
by the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice under rules in
effect for matches prior to 1948 will be considered toward the award of
this badge the same as though an Excellence in Competition had been
awarded.
(iii) The year in which a person first became eligible for
designation by the Army as a Distinguished Rifleman or Distinguished
Pistol Shot is the year in which he is regarded as having attained the
distinguished designation and for which he will be so designated.
(iv) In computing credits toward distinguished designation only one
credit per calendar year in any one individual or team match will be
allowed.
(4) Who may award--(i) To Army personnel. Commanding General, United
States Continental Army Command Copies of letters of authorization will
be forwarded to The Adjutant General ATTN: AGPF, for record purposes.
(ii) To all others. The Adjutant General.
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(5) Engraving. The name of the recipient and the year of attainment
will be engraved on the reverse of the metal pendant.
(f) Excellence in Competition Badge--(1) Purpose. Excellence in
Competition Badges are awarded to individuals in recognition of an
eminent degree of achievement in target practice firing with the
standard military service rifle or pistol.
(2) Types of badges. Types of badges and criteria for award are
under revision. When finalized, they will be published in a change to
this section.
(3) Eligibility requirements. The number of badges which will be
awarded in recognition of achievement in the National Matches, the All-
Army Championships, Major Command Competitions, or in National Rifle
Association Regional Championships will depend primarily upon the number
of ``nondistinguished'' participants in the match. In all competitions
except those included in the National Matches the badge will be awarded
only for excellence in individual competition. In the National Matches
the badge may be awarded for achievement in both individual and team
competition. The conditions governing eligibility for award of the badge
in the National Matches are prescribed by the National Board for the
Promotion of Rifle Practice in joint regulations entitled ``Rules and
Regulations for National Matches''. Comparable badges will be awarded to
civilians by the Director of Civilian Marksmanship in accordance with
regulations prescribed by the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle
Practice. A badge for excellence in competition in a match conducted
subsequent to 1947 will be awarded only to a person whose score in
authorized competition constitutes a credit toward a distinguished
designation badge. The determination as to whether a badge for
excellence in competition which has been awarded for achievement in a
match conducted prior to 1948 may be considered toward the award of a
distinguished designation badge will be in accordance with Army
Regulations in effect at the time such match was conducted.
(4) Limit on award. (i) In no case will an individual be awarded
more than one badge of each type. Credits will be given in lieu of
additional awards of the same badge.
(ii) Individuals who have either qualified for or attained the
distinguished designation are ineligible for further awards of this
badge. Any such individual who fraudulently accepts an additional award
of the Excellence in Competition Badge when he is aware of his
eligibility for distinguished designation, or has been designated as a
Distinguished Rifleman or Distinguished Pistol Shot will be subject to
revocation of the award.
(5) Who may award--(i) To Army personnel in active service.
Commanding General, United States Continental Army Command. Copies of
letters of authorization will be forwarded to The Adjutant General,
ATTN: AGPF, for record purposes.
(ii) To all others. The Adjutant General, upon recommendation of the
Commanding General, United States Continental Army Command, or the
National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice, as appropriate.
(g) President's Hundred Tab. A President's Hundred Tab is awarded to
each person who qualified among the top 100 successful contestants in
the President's Match held annually at the National Rifle Matches.