Army Aviation (Aircraft Crewman) Badges

United States Army Aviation (Aircraft Crewman) Badge

Criteria: Awarded to in three degrees to Army: Basic, Senior, and Master. These particular levels of seniority are based on years of service in the Army and the number of flight hours obtained. Originally called the "Aircraft Crewman Badge," the badge was renamed on February 29, 2000. After renaming the badge, the change was made retroactive to 1947, requiring updates to military records upon request from the service member. The badge is intended for enlisted personnel, however, in rare cases, the decoration can be awarded to officers. For non-rated Army officers who qualify for the Astronaut Badge, but have not yet participated in a qualifying spaceflight, the Army Aviation Badge may be awarded with the astronaut emblem appearing on the central shield. The first version of the Aircrew Badge was issued by the Army Air Forces during the World War II. The badge displayed an emblem denoting enlisted status on its circular shield, or escutcheon, centered between two wings. With the decision to create the U.S. Air Force as a separate branch of service in 1947, the Army was left without an Aircrew Badge until the Korean War. To recognize the continued use of Army aviation, the Aircraft Crewman Badge was created.