Parachute Rigger Badge
| Parachute Rigger Badge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Awarded by United States Army | |
| Type | Badge |
| Awarded for | Completion the U.S. Army Quartermaster School’s course on parachute combat supply, preparation, and deployment. |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 9 June 1986 (official) |
| First awarded | 1949 |
| Last awarded | On going |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Parachutist Badges |
| Next (lower) | Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge |
The Parachute Rigger Badge is a military qualification badge of the United States Army and the United States Air Force which was first created in 1948 and officially approved in June 1986. The award is intended as a badge for enlisted, warrant officer and officer personnel who have successfully completed parachute rigger courses specified by the U.S. Army Quartermaster Center and School.
The first parachute rigger badge was designed in 1948 by Major Thomas R. Cross and drawn by Sergeant First Class Ewing of the 11th Parachute Maintenance Company, 11th Airborne Division at , Sendai, Japan, and was first used operationally during Exercise Swarmer in 1950.
Prior to the official adoption of the badge, it had been worn under Major Command commander’s authority to authorize the wear of locally designed badges on the utility uniform.
Official adoption of the badge had been sought for many years by a variety of Quartermaster officials. The adoption was based on a formal request submitted by Mr. James S. Emery, Military Analyst, Airborne Department, Quartermaster School in 1983. This request received unprecedented support from the field, unfortunately it was disapproved at the time. In 1986, General Richard H. Thompson, commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command and the senior Quartermaster officer in the Army wrote the Chief of Staff of the Army asking him to reconsider the 1983 decision. After requesting some field comments, General Wickham approved the parachute riggers badge on 9 June 1986.
In order to be eligible to attend any Parachute Rigger courses and subsequently be awarded the Parachute Rigger Badge, an individual must first have graduated from the Basic Airborne Course.
The badge is awarded upon graduation from a parachute rigger course as specified by the U.S. Army Quartermaster Center and School. In 1999, the Army authorized the retroactive award of the Parachute Rigger Badge to individuals who performed duty as riggers before May 1951, but did not attend or graduate for a Parachute Rigger course at the U.S. Army Quartermaster Center and School.
Those earning the Parachute Rigger Badge receive either the Enlisted Military Occupational Specialty Code 92R or the Warrant Officer designation 921A. The Parachute Rigger Badge may also be awarded to officers, upon completion of the Aerial Delivery Management Officer Course (ADMOC) who earn the Additional Skill Identifier of 92AR9. or other courses specified by AR 600-8-22.
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