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Military Free Fall
Parachute Badge (HALO)
DESCRIPTION: A
silver colored metal badge, 1 31/32 inches (5.00 centimeters) in
width, consisting of a dagger and arched tab superimposed over
wings and a deployed 7-cell ram-air square parachute.
SYMBOLISM: The
dagger, a Fairbairn-Sykes knife used by the rangers and Office
of Strategic Services in WWII, symbolizes infiltration
techniques used by special operations forces; the arched tab
symbolizes the tabs worn by special operations units; the wing
suggests flight and airborne capabilities; the parachute is a
depiction of an MT1-X, the first square parachute to be adopted
by all military services as the standard military free fall
canopy.
BADGES AUTHORIZED:
Two degrees of the military free fall badge are authorized for
award: Basic and Jumpmaster (basic badge design with the
addition of a star and wreath)
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Military Free Fall Basic
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Military Free Fall Jump Master
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 Cloth
Freefall Jumpmaster Badge
HISTORY: The first design
for a proposed military free fall (MFF) badge came in March 1983
from Sergeant First Class Gregory A. Dailey, then of Company B,
2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group. The final MFF
parachutist and jumpmaster badges were developed by General
Wayne A. Downing with historical assistance from Mr. James
Phillips of the Special Forces Association.
AWARD ELIGIBILITY: The commander
in chief, US Special Operations Command is the approval
authority for award of these badges. To be eligible for the
basic badge, an individual must have satisfactorily completed a
prescribed program of instruction in military free fall approved
by the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and
School or have executed a military free fall combat jump.
To be eligible for the jumpmaster badge, an individual must have
satisfactorily completed a prescribed military free fall
jumpmaster program of instruction approved by the U.S. Army John
F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.
DATE APPROVED: The badge was
originally approved for wear only while assigned to US Army
Special Operations Command or subordinate commands on 1 October
1994 by the US Special Operations Command. It was approved
for unrestricted wear by the Chief of Staff of the Army on 7
July 1997.
SUBDUED BADGES: A subdued badge
in black metal finish of the same design is authorized.
MINIATURE BADGES: A dress
miniature badge, 1 inch in width is authorized.
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DISCLAIMER
- PLEASE READ |
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| This page is an
unofficial document and does not represent information
endorsed by the United States Government, the United
States Special Operations Command or the United States
Army Special Operations Command. However, most
information is derived from those sources and has been
checked for accuracy. For comments, questions, and
suggestions, please go to the Communications
Center. |
Gunnery Network - SOF
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