Weapons Qualification Badge
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A Weapons Qualification Badge is a military badge of the United States Army and United States Marine Corps which is presented to service members upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course.
Weapons Qualification Badges are issued in three levels (in descending order): Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman. The Marine Corps presently provides weapons qualification badges for the pistol and rifle only, while the Army issues the same badges for a variety of weapons.
[edit] Army
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.
[edit] Marine Corps
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 a passing score and will receive a qualification level depending on the score obtained. Current rifle score ranges are 190 to 209 for marksman, 210 to 219 for sharpshooter, and 220 to 250 for expert. Once a qualification has been obtained, and the weapons qualification badge issued, the badge may be worn for the remainder of a military career, or until a different level of qualification (higher or lower) is achieved. Typically, all Marines qualify with the rifle on an annual basis. The most recent qualification score determines the badge that is worn. If a Marine achieves the score of Expert multiple times in his or her career, an additional "rung" may be added to the badge denoting the number of awards earned.
[edit] Service standards
Because of the Marine Corps policy "Every Marine a Rifleman," Marine recruits can not exit initial recruit training (or The Basic School for Officers) until a qualification of at least Marksman has been obtained.
The Army and Marine Corps are the only services that issue weapons qualification badges. The Marksmanship Ribbon and Marksmanship Medal are issued by the remainder of the United States military branches to denote weapons qualifications and, in the case of the Army, only issued to enlisted soldiers. Officers do not wear them.
