AIR FORCE Magazine / May 2001 61

Airman Basic(E-1)

No insignia

Airman(E-2)

Airman First Class(E-3)

Senior Airman(E-4)

Staff Sergeant(E-5)

Technical Sergeant(E-6)

USAF Grades and Insignia

Second Lieutenant(O-1)

First Lieutenant(O-2)

Captain(O-3)

Major(O-4)

Lieutenant Colonel(O-5)

Colonel(O-6)

Brigadier General(O-7)

Major General(O-8)

Lieutenant General(O-9)

General(O-10)

Master Sergeant(E-7)

Senior Master Sergeant(E-8)

Chief Master Sergeant(E-9)

Chief Master Sergeant ofthe Air Force

First SergeantThe diamond device, shown

here on senior master sergeantstripes, denotes an E-7 throughE-9 who advises and assists a

squadron commander inmanaging unit activities.

EnlistedOfficer

Command Chief MasterSergeant

The star device shown heredenotes an E-9 who serves in a9E000 position, formerly known

as a senior enlisted advisor.

64 AIR FORCE Magazine / May 2002

Awards and DecorationsThis display represents, in correct order of precedence, selected ribbons from World War II to present day. For information regarding ribbons not depicted, refer to AFI 36-2803.

*Also awarded with gold, silver, or bronze devices. The gold frame on the ribbon denotes a unit citation; without, an individual citation.

Medal of Honor Air Force Cross Defense DistinguishedService Medal

Distinguished ServiceMedal (AF)

Silver Star

Bronze Star MedalAirman’s MedalDistinguished FlyingCross

Legion of MeritDefense SuperiorService Medal

Purple Heart Defense MeritoriousService Medal

Meritorious ServiceMedal (AF)

Air Medal Aerial AchievementMedal

Joint ServiceCommendation Medal

Air ForceCommendation Medal

Joint ServiceAchievement Medal

Air ForceAchievement Medal

Presidential UnitCitation

Joint MeritoriousUnit Award

AF Outstanding UnitAward

AF OrganizationalExcellence Award

Prisoner of War Medal Combat ReadinessMedal

Air Force GoodConduct Medal

Good Conduct Medal Air Reserve ForcesMeritorious Service Medal

Outstanding Airmanof the Year

Air Force RecognitionRibbon

American DefenseService Medal

American CampaignMedal

Asiatic–PacificCampaign Medal

European–African–MiddleEastern Campaign Medal

World War IIVictory Medal

Army of OccupationMedal

Medal for HumaneAction

National DefenseService Medal

Korean Service Medal Antarctica ServiceMedal

Armed ForcesExpeditionary Medal

Vietnam Service Medal Southwest AsiaService Medal

Armed ForcesService Medal

HumanitarianService Medal

Military OutstandingVolunteer Service Medal

Air Force OverseasRibbon–Short

Air Force OverseasRibbon–Long

AF LongevityService Award Ribbon

USAF Basic MilitaryTraining Instructor

Ribbon

Armed Forces ReserveMedal

USAF NCO PMEGraduate Ribbon

USAF Basic MilitaryTraining Honor

Graduate Ribbon

Small Arms ExpertMarksmanship Ribbon

Air Force TrainingRibbon

Philippine DefenseRibbon

Philippine LiberationRibbon

Philippine IndependenceRibbon

Philippine PresidentialUnit Citation

ROK Presidential UnitCitation

RVN Gallantry Crosswith Palm*

United NationsService Medal

United NationsMedal

NATO MedalYugoslavia

Republic of VietnamCampaign Medal

Kuwait Liberation Medal,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Kuwait Liberation Medal,Government of Kuwait

Republic of Korea WarService Medal

Air Force RecruiterRibbon

Kosovo CampaignMedal

NATO MedalKosovo

AIR FORCE Magazine / May 2000 73

Wings and Badges

Silver and Bronze StarsWhen worn together on a single

ribbon, silver stars will be worn to thewearer’s right of any bronze star.

Silver Staris worn in the same manner as the

bronze star, but each is worn in lieuof five bronze service stars.

Bronze Starrepresents participation in

campaigns or operations, multiplequalifications, or an additional award

to any of the various ribbons onwhich it is authorized.

Bronze Oak Leaf Clusterrepresents second and subsequent

entitlements of awards.

Silver Oak Leaf Clusterrepresents the sixth, 11th, etc.,

entitlements or is worn in lieu of fivebronze OLCs.

Silver/Bronze Oak Leaf ClustersSilver OLCs are worn to the wearer’s rightof the bronze OLCs on the same ribbon.

Valor Devicerepresents valor and does not denotean additional award. Only one may be

earned on any ribbon. It is worn tothe wearer’s right of any clusters on

the same ribbon.

Berlin Airlift Deviceis worn with the Army of Occupation

Medal to denote service of 90consecutive days in direct support of

the Berlin Airlift, June 26, 1948, toSept. 30, 1949.

Mobility Deviceis worn with the Armed Forces

Reserve Medal to denote active dutyfor at least one day during a

contingency.

Pilot

Navigator/Observer

Enlisted Aircrew

Astronaut

Flight Surgeon

Flight Nurse

Officer Aircrew Member

Missile withOperationsDesignator

Missile

The astronaut designator indicates a USAF ratedofficer qualified to perform duties in space (50 milesand up) and who has completed at least oneoperational mission. Pilot wings are used here toillustrate the position of the designator on the wings.

Shown here and on p. 74 are current wings andbadges. The basic level of wings or badges isillustrated. Most wings and badges have two othercategories of accomplishment—senior and eithercommander, master, or chief. A star centered abovethe badge indicates the senior level, while a starsurrounded by a wreath above the badge representsthe master level.

Devices

Five USAF career fields are authorized to wear acolored beret along with the crest of that particular

field. Below are those badges on their particular beretcolor.

Berets

Combat ControlTeam

CombatWeather

The parachutist badgeindicates the wearer is

at the master level.

Tactical AirControl Party

Pararescue

ForceProtection

Officers display theirrank in a plain blue

shield above the motto“Defensor Fortis.”

Hourglass Deviceis issued for the Armed Forces

Reserve Medal in bronze for 10 yearsof service, silver for 20, and gold for

30 years.

74 AIR FORCE Magazine / May 2000

Badges, continued

Biomedical Science Dental CorpsCorps

Buddhist Christian

Jewish Muslim

Medical

Chaplain

Enlisted Medical Medical Corps

Medical Service Nurse CorpsCorps

Acquisition and FinancialManagement

Communications and Information Explosive Ordnance Disposal Force Protection

Chaplain Service Support Civil Engineer Command and Control

Band Air Traffic Control

Historian IntelligenceInformation Management

Public AffairsParalegalParachutist

Operations SupportMeteorologistManpower and Personnel

MaintenanceLogisticsJudge Advocate

Weapons DirectorTransportation

Supply/FuelsSpace/MissileServices