Mountaineering Badge

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Mountaineering Badge
US Army Mountaineering Badge.png
TypeBadge
Awarded forCompletion of the Mountain Warfare School
Presented by United States Army
EligibilityU.S. and allied military personnel attending the Army Mountain Warfare School
StatusCurrently-awarded (as the "Mountaineering Badge")
Retired (as the "Ram's Head Device")
Established1983 (as the "Ram's Head Device")
2025 (as the "Mountaineering Badge")
Precedence
Next (higher)(Group 3 badges)
Astronaut, EOD, Aviator, Flight surgeon, Rigger
Equivalent(Group 4 badges)
Pathfinder, Parachutist, Air Assault, Military Freefall Parachutist, Space Operations Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Sapper Tab
Next (lower)(Group 5 badges)
Diver, Special Operations Diver, Driver and Mechanic
US Army Mountain Warfare School-Assent training.jpg
A United States Air Force TACP learns ascent techniques during summer BMMC
US Army Mountain Warfare School-Mountain Walk.jpg
Soldiers conduct the "Mountain Walk," a culminating event for AMWS courses

The Mountaineering Badge [1] is a Group 4 "special skill" badge of the United States Army. The badge is awarded to any service-member upon completion of the Army Mountain Warfare School (AMWS), based at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vermont. The badge replaced the Ram's Head Device in 2025, which was only (officially) permitted for wear on the uniforms of New England National Guard personnel; The new badge is authorized Army-wide and may also be worn by all personnel of the various U.S. uniformed services except for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.

Contents

History

The Ram's Head Device was derived from the 85th Infantry Regimental crest which is topped by a ram's head symbolizing a unit skilled in mountain activity. The 85th was one of three regiments comprising the 10th Light Division (Alpine) when it was activated in July 1943. In the 1950s, the United States Army Mountain and Cold Weather Training Command at Fort Carson and Camp Hale, Colorado adopted the Ram's Head Device as the badge worn by their cadre. [2]

In 1983, the Vermont Army National Guard Mountain Warfare School was established in Jericho, Vermont. The Ram's Head Device was adopted as the Military Mountaineer Badge denoting successful completion of the Basic Military Mountaineer Course (BMMC) and awarding of the Skill Qualification Identifier – E "Military Mountaineer." In 2003 the Vermont Army Mountain Warfare School became the United States Army Mountain Warfare School. [2]

Vermont Army National Guard Ram's Head Device Ramshead Device(2).jpg
Vermont Army National Guard Ram's Head Device

In October 2024 Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Michael Weimer reported that the Army is "... in the process of redesigning..." the Ram's Head Device. SMA Weimer also stated that the "ram's head" is "...not going to be the badge." [3] However, on 20 March 2025, the badge — now referred to as the "Mountaineering Badge" — was revealed to be virtually identical to the former badge, with a slight re-stylization of the ram's head and the inclusion of mountaineering tools (an M1 bayonet and an ice axe) crossed behind the ram's head. The badge is considered a "special skill badge" within "Group 4" and wear is regulated by DA PAM 670-1 . [4]

Wear

The Ram's Head Device was authorized for wear on the uniform of Vermont National Guard soldiers [5] [6] [7] and those Army National Guard units belonging to the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) from other states, such as:

However, the device was widely worn by other graduates of the Army Mountain Warfare School, though not officially authorized.

The Mountaineering Badge, however, is authorized for wear by all soldiers completing the course. The badge is additionally authorized for wear on the uniforms of the U.S. Air Force, [8] U.S. Space Force, [9] [10] and U.S. Coast Guard, [11] as well as the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps [12] and USPHS Commissioned Corps. [13] The badge is not authorized for wear on the uniforms of the U.S. Navy [14] or the U.S. Marine Corps. [15]

Updated award criteria

When the Army Mountain Warfare School was put under the control of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in 2009, only the BMMC (Summer) or BMMC (Winter) must be completed to earn the Special Qualification Identifier "E" {Military Mountaineer}, not both. Also, with the updated "History of the Ram’s Head Device" document (dated 5 September 2013) stating, "The Army Mountain Warfare School continues to award the Ram’s Head Device to soldiers who complete the BMMC." alludes that completion of only one of the phases of training (summer or winter) is now required to be awarded the Ram's Head Device. [5] [2] [16] [17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ United States Army (March 2025). ALARACT 025/2025 (PDF) (Report). Department of the Army. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025. ANNOUNCEMENT OF MOUNTAINEERING BADGE... THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES THE ESTABLISHMENT AND UPCOMING POLICY IN SUPPORT OF THE MOUNTAINEERING BADGE.
  2. 1 2 3 The History of the Ram's Read Device, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Infantry, Army Mountain Warfare School website, dated 5 September 2013, last accessed 7 February 2014
  3. ↑ "New Army Mountaineering Badge". Task & Purpose. 21 October 2024. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  4. ↑ "Army unveils new Mariner and Mountaineer Badges". 20 March 2025.
  5. 1 2 Vermont Permanent Order 121-01, Web Archive, posted on Military.com, Community Discussions page on 6 February 2009, last accessed 19 December 2020
  6. ↑ U.S. Army Pamphlet 670–1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, dated 25 May 2017, last accessed 14 March 2020
  7. ↑ U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School Homepage Archived 15 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine , U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Infantry, last updated 16, 11 Dec, last accessed 8, 12 Jun
  8. ↑ DAFI 36-2903 (PDF) (Report). Department of the Air Force. 1 February 2025. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2025. If earned and authorized, sister services' badges will maintain their subdued color(s) when worn as not to lose their distinction as being awarded from a sister service. Wear of current Air Force occupational badge(s) are mandatory if sister services' badges are worn.
  9. ↑ DAFI 36-2903 (PDF) (Report). Department of the Air Force. 1 February 2025. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2025. If earned and authorized, sister services' badges will maintain their subdued color(s) when worn as not to lose their distinction as being awarded from a sister service. Wear of current Air Force [or Space Force] occupational badge(s) are mandatory if sister services' badges are worn.
  10. ↑ Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs (29 February 2024). "DAF Publishes Revised Dress & Personal Appearance Instruction". United States Space Force. Archived from the original on 22 April 2025. U.S. Space Force Guardians must adhere to DAFI 36-2903 in conjunction with the Guardian-specific SPFGM2023-36-01.
  11. ↑ "4". Uniform Regulations COMDTINST M1020.6I (PDF) (Report). Department of Homeland Security. May 2016. p. 4-27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2025. Prior service Coast Guard members who have earned qualification based insignia from their former U.S. Military Service may optionally wear one qualification based insignia.
  12. ↑ "NOAA Corps Directives Chapter 12: Uniforms and Awards" (PDF). NOAA Corps CPC. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025. NOAA Corps officers who have qualified as aviators, divers, submariners, parachutists, etc., while on active duty are otherwise entitled to wear a qualification insignia of another service, and whose right to wear it has not been specifically revoked, may wear the insignia at their discretion in accordance with these Directives.
  13. ↑ "Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) Uniforms". Archived from the original on 18 March 2025. An officer who has earned skill badges or breast insignia/awards from other uniformed services... is authorized to wear the badges.
  14. ↑ "5". United States Navy Uniform Regulations NAVPERS 15665J (Report). Department of the Navy. p. 5201.2. Archived from the original on 24 June 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025. Breast or qualification insignia of other services will not be worn.
  15. ↑ United States Marine Corps (1 May 2018). Marine Corps Uniform Regulations MCO 1020.34H (PDF) (Report). Department of the Navy. p. 1-82. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025. Any other U.S. service/foreign/civilian breast insignia may be accepted by an individual, but will not be worn on Marine Corps uniforms.
  16. ↑ Army Mountain Warfare School, Basic Military Mountaineer Courses, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning; updated 9 August 2013; last accessed 25 January 2014
  17. ↑ United States Army Special Qualifications Identifier (SQI), E Military Mountaineer Archived 2 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine , About.com, U.S. Military; Information derived from Army Pamphlet 611-21, dated November 2000; last accessed 25 January 2014
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