U.S. Army Special Operations
Scuba Diver Badge
The Special Operations Scuba Diver badge recently replaced the
Army Scuba Diver badge for Special Forces Soldiers.
Changes to the insignia went into effect July 20 and will affect
Active Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve soldiers.
In addition to changing the badge’s name, the Army has created
an additional skill level known as the Special Operations Diving
Supervisor’s Badge.
The process to get the badge changed began with a proposal from
the Special Warfare Center and School to develop a new badge,
said Capt. Rebecca Eggers, an officer assigned to the U.S. Army
Special Operations Command. The request was then submitted to
the Human Resource Command, where the award was approved.
After the award had received approval, the design went to the
Institute of Heraldry for design, the creation of dies, and hubs
to establish the insignia. After the designs were approved, they
were sent to manufactures, to be made and shipped to stores, she
explained.
The Department of the Army sent a message outlining the criteria
to receive the award July 20.
The Special Operations Diver Badge is awarded to graduates of the
U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS)
Combat Diver Qualification Courses, Special Forces Underwater
Operations, located in Key West, Florida, Eggers said.
The award is also given to Soldiers who have completed any other
United States Special Operations Command approved combat diver
qualification course, she added.
The Special Operations Diving Supervisor’s Badge is awarded to
individuals that have graduated from the SWCS Combat Diving
Supervisor Course, Special Forces Underwater Operations, or any
other USASOC approved combat diving supervisor’s course, Eggers
explained. The prerequisite for the obtaining the Special
Operations Diving Supervisor’s Badge is the Special Operations
Diving Badge.
The Special Operations Diving Badge and Special Operations Diving
Supervisor’s Badge may be awarded retroactively to affiliates of
any service who successfully complete the SWCS Combat Diver’s
Qualification and the Diving Combat Diving course on or following
October 1, 1964.
From here on out, all Soldiers that attend the course in Key West,
Florida, will automatically get the new badge, Eggers said.
On the other hand, Soldiers that have attended the Key West
courses or approved courses must summit a DA Form 4187, Personnel
Actions Request, which contains their class date and course number,
Eggers explained.
The request should be sent to Commander, United States of America
John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Attention:
AOJK-GPD-SA, Fort Bragg, North Carolina 28310 for orders issuing.
All retroactive award requests will be submitted to the Commander,
SWCS, and Attention: AOJK-GPB, Fort Bragg, N.C. 28310. Retroactive
award for veterans must be forwarded to the National Personnel
Records Center, Attn: NRPMA-M, 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis, Mo.
63132-5100.
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