MILPER Message 00-138
Revised Criteria for Award of the Aircraft Crew Member Badge

A. AR 600-8-22, Military Awards, 25 Feb 95.

B. AR 600-106, Flying Status for Non-rated Aviation Personnel, 3 Dec 98.

C. AR 600-8-104, Military Personnel Information Management/Records, 27 Apr 92.

D. AR 600-8-105, Military Orders, 28 Oct 94.

1. This message will expire 31 March 2002 or upon release of revision to reference Alpha.

2. On 29 Feb 00, the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, approved major changes, including name change, to the Army’s Aircraft Crew Member Badge. Effective 29 Feb 00, the Basic, Senior and Master Aircraft Crew Member Badges is changed to Basic, Senior and Master Aviation Badges. Paragraphs 8-24, 8-25, 8-26 and 8-27, AR 600-8-22 are revised as follows:

8-24. Aviation Badges

a. Badges authorized. There are three degrees of Aviation Badge authorized for award. The degrees are basic, senior and master.

b. Badge approval authority. Permanent award of these badges will be made by commanders exercising jurisdiction over the individuals' personnel records. Permanent award of these badges based upon wounds or combat missions will be referred to Commander, PERSCOM, ATTN: TAPC-PDO-PA, 200 Stovall Street, Alexandria, VA 22332-0471.

c. Special policy.

(1) The retroactive date for these badges is 1 January 1947.

(2) The Master Aviation Badge and the Senior Aviation Badge are authorized for permanent wear. The Basic Aviation Badge may be authorized for temporary or permanent wear. An officer awarded an Aviation Badge while serving in an enlisted status is authorized to wear the badge as a permanent part of the uniform.

(3) Permanent award of the basic, Master and Senior Aviation Badges will be announced in permanent orders by commanders authorized to approve the award. See AR 600-8-105 for instructions.

d. Eligibility requirements. Eligibility requirements for each badge are set forth in following paragraphs.

8-25. Aviation Badge - Basic

a. Permanent award.

(1) For permanent award of this badge, an individual must be on flying status in accordance with AR 600-106 or be granted waiver by HQ, PERSCOM TAPC-PLP-I; be on flying status (physically qualified-class III), have performed in-flight duties for not less than 12 months (not necessarily consecutive); or is school trained.

(2) An officer on flying status as an aerial observer may be awarded the Basic Aviation Badge. U.S. Army personnel assigned to a Joint Service Airborne Command Post and serving as members of an operational team on flying status manning the Airborne Command Post are eligible for the award of the Basic Aviation Badge. Concurrent with such assignment, these personnel are authorized temporary wear of the Basic Aviation Badge until relieved from such duty or until such time as he or she fulfills the mandatory requirements for permanent award.

(3) An individual who has been incapacitated for further flight duty by reason of being wounded as a result of enemy action, or injured as the result of an aircraft accident for which he or she was not personally responsible, or has participated in at least 15 combat missions under probable exposure to enemy fire while performing in-flight duties is permanently authorized to wear the Basic Aviation Badge.

(4) The Basic Aviation Badge may be permanently awarded to soldiers upon successful completion of formal advanced individual training (AIT) in career management field (CMF) 67 and (CMF) 93 MOS', and to soldiers who previously completed AIT in (CMF) 28 MOS'. This includes soldiers who graduated from AIT for MOS' in the 68 series. Soldiers holding MOS’ 35L, 35M, 35Q, and 35W who graduated from a (CMF) 67 AIT prior to 30 September 1996 and MOSs 93C and 93P who graduated from a (CMF) 67 AIT after 31 December 1985 are authorized based on documented prior AIT.

(5) Individuals who meet the criteria for award of the Army Astronaut Device and are not authorized an Aviator, Flight Surgeon or Aviation Badge will be awarded the Aviation Badge in addition to the Army Astronaut Device.

(6) The Aviation Badge may be permanently awarded to soldiers upon successful completion of formal AIT in (CMF) 93 MOS’. Soldiers previously holding MOS 93B who graduated from a (CMF) 93 AIT prior to 1 January 1998 and soldiers previously holding MOS 93D who graduated from a (CMF) 93 AIT prior to 30 September 1996 are authorized the badge based on documented AIT after 31 December 1985.

b. Temporary award. The commander of any Army unit which has Army aircraft assigned may authorize in published orders qualified personnel of his or her command to wear the Aviation Badge. The individual must be performing in-flight duties.

8-26. Senior Aviation Badge

a. Eligibility criteria. For award of this badge, an individual must either successfully perform 7 years on flight status (physically qualified-class III) in a principal duty assignment as described in AR 600-106. Soldiers in (CMF) 67 and 93, including all 68 series MOS’, Warrant Officers MOS’ 150A and 151A, and MOS 00Z individuals from (CMF) 67 or 93 field, may qualify for the Senior Aviation Badge with 10 years of experience and meet the following criteria:

(1) Only time involving frequent and regular flights will be counted toward fulfillment of this requirement, except that time involved in transit between PCS assignments to include TDY, will also be credited.

(2) Soldiers that retain (CMF) 67 or 93 while performing career progressive assignments, especially duties as Drill Sergeant, Recruiter, Career Management NCO, Career Advisor, Instructor or Equal Opportunity Advisor will be counted towards this requirement not to exceed 36 months. Warrant Officers MOS 150A or 151A may qualify for this badge after successfully performing 7 years on flight status or 10 years experience in (CMF) 67 or 93, MOS 151A or 150A. Prior enlisted (CMF) 67 time may count with MOS 151A experience and (CMF) 93 time may count with MOS 150A experience to fulfill this requirement. The retroactive date for this badge under this criteria is 1 January 1983.

(3) Displayed complete competence in the principal duty or duties performed leading to this award.

(4) Attained the grade of E-4 or higher.

(5) Be recommended by the unit commander of the unit to which presently assigned.

b. Retroactive Award. The retroactive date for award of this badge is 1 February 1989 for soldiers in (CMF) 93, Warrant Officer MOS’ 150A and 151A and individuals in MOS 00Z. Soldiers holding (CMF) 93 or MOS 93D, prior to 30 September 1996 and MOS 93B prior to 1 January 1998, may qualify for award of the Senior Aviation Badge based on documented experience.

8-27. Master Aviation Badge

a. For award of this badge, an individual must either successfully perform 15 years on flight status (physically qualified-class III) in a principal duty assignment as described in AR 600-016. Soldiers in career management fields (CMF) 67 or 93, including all 68 series MOS’, Warrant Officers MOS’ 150A and 151A and individuals in MOS 00Z from a (CMF) 67 or 93 field, may qualify for the Master Aviation Badge with 17 years of experience and meet the following criteria:

(1) Only time involving frequent and regular flights will be counted toward fulfillment of this requirement, except that time involved in transit between PCS assignments, to include TDY, will also be credited.

(2) Soldiers that retain (CMF) 67 or 93 while performing career progressive assignments, especially duties as Drill Sergeant, Recruiter, Career Management NCO, Career Advisor, Instructor or Equal Opportunity Advisor will be counted towards this requirement not to exceed 36 months. Warrant Officer MOS 150A and 151A may qualify for this badge after successfully performing 15 years on flight status or 17 years experience in (CMF) 67 or 93 or MOS 150A and 151A. Prior enlisted (CMF) 67 time may count with MOS 151A experience and (CMF) 93 time may count with MOS 150A experience to fulfill this requirement.

b. Retroactive date. The retroactive date for the badge under this revised criteria is 1 January 1976. The retroactive date for (CMF) 93, Warrant Officer MOS’ 150A and 151A and individuals in MOS 00Z is 1 February 1982. Soldiers holding (CMF) 93, MOS 93D, prior to 30 Sep 96 and MOS 93B, prior to 1 January 1998, may qualify for the ward of the Senior Aviation Badge based on documented experience.

c. Displayed complete competence in the principal duty or duties performed leading to this award.

d. Attained the grade of E-6 or higher.

e. Be recommended by the unit commander and endorsed by the next higher commander of the unit to which presently assigned.

3. These changes will be incorporated into an upcoming change to AR 600-8-22. Until such time as the regulation is updated, this message will be used to award the badges under the revised criteria.

4.  Local MPD/PSB’s will use AR 600-8-105, paragraph 2.8 as guidance when processing two or more eligible soldiers for the award of either the Aviation, Senior, and Master Aviation Badge to include any retroactive badge awards as one complete action.

5. Requests for award of the Senior and Master Aviation Badges that cannot be resolved at the local MPD/PSB will be forwarded to the Commander, U.S. Army Aviation Center and School (USAAVNC), ATTN: ATZQ-AP, Fort Rucker, AL 36362-5000. USAAVNC point of contact is SFC Sheehan, Aviation Proponency Office, (ATZQ-AP, DSN 558-2653, Comm (334) 255-2653 or email: SheehanB@rucker.army.mil

6. For AIG 7406, request the contents of this message be given widest dissemination.

7. Points of contact for this action are Mrs. White or SFC Dansby, DSN 221-9171/4761, Comm (703) 325-9171/4761.