Recruiter Badge

The Recruiter Badge is a decoration of the United States uniformed services that is awarded to personnel who have performed recruitment duties as service recruiters. The Recruiter Badge is issued by every branch of the U.S. uniform services except for the U.S. Marine Corps and the NOAA Commissioned Corps. With the exception of the U.S. Army, a Recruiting Service Ribbon is also awarded to those personnel who have completed successful tours as military recruiters.

U.S. Army
U.S. Army recruiter badges are presented to active and reserve Army personnel who are assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC). The Basic Recruiter Identification Badge is a silver crest that incorporates an eagle with raised wings straddling a flaming torch surrounded by a green banner with the words "U.S. Army Recruiter." Army Recruiters can compete for the Master Recruiter Badge which is a gold variant of the Basic Recruiter Identification Badge.

All Army personnel that graduate from the Army Recruiter Course (ARC) or are assigned to USAREC are authorized to wear the Basic Recruiter Identification Badge. However, only those ARC graduates who have satisfied specific recruiting goals are authorized to wear the Basic Recruiter Identification Badge as a permanent award. The Master Recruiter Badge is awarded in the same manner as the Army's Expert Infantryman Badge and Expert Field Medical Badge.

Prior to the establishment of the Master Recruiter Badge in September 2011, Army Recruiters could earn up to three gold achievement stars for their Basic Recruiter Identification Badge, the Gold Recruiter Badge with up to three sapphire achievement stars, the Army Recruiter Ring, and the Glenn E. Morrell Medallion, respectively, as symbols of successive achievements in recruiting.

Starting in World War II, the Reserve Recruiter Badge as also an identification badge of the U.S. Army which was issued until the 1980s, at which time the U.S. Army declared the award discontinued in favor of the standard Recruiter Badge used by both active duty and reserve recruiters. During the years of its issuance, the Reserve Recruiter Badge was authorized for wear while serving a tour of duty as a military recruiter for the U.S. Army Reserve. The badge was not considered a permanent award, and was surrendered at the completion of duties as a reserve recruiter.

Recruiters of the Army National Guard wear distinct Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Badges which depicts the minuteman in the center of the badge. The Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Badges are awarded in three degrees (basic, senior, and master). The basic badge is unique in its design while the senior and master badges are similar in appearance with the master badge displaying the words "Peritus" in a gold arch at the top of the badge.

In recent years, the design of the Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Badges changed to what you see on this page. Prior to this change, these badges were simpler in design with a silver (basic), gold (senior), and gold with wreath (master) versions. As with the new design, these badges incorporated the Minutemen prominently in the center surrounded by the words "ARMY NATIONAL GUARD RECRUITING AND RETENTION." Previous versions of these badges use to have to words "ARMY NATIONAL GUARD RECRUITER."

The basic and senior versions of the Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Badge are temporary badges that must be surrendered upon the completion of a soldier’s recruiting assignment. However, the master version of this badge is awarded to National Guard soldiers as a permanent award.

U.S. Air Force
The U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service Badge is authorized to all personnel who are assigned to active duty Air Force recruiting stations. The badge is worn as a decoration centered on the left uniform pocket for males and centered on the right side of the uniform above the nameplate for females. Depending on the recruiter’s personal achievement, the badge may be modified with a silver (Senior Recruiter) or gold (Master Recruiter) wreath. Subsequent awards of the silver wreath are denoted with an appropriate numerical designation at the top of the badge.

Recruiters earning their fourth silver wreath also earn the U.S. Air Force Senior Recruiter Ring while those earning the gold wreath receive the U.S. Air Force Master Recruiter Ring.

The U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service Badge is considered a temporary decoration and must be surrendered upon a service member’s completion of duty at the specified Recruiting Command.

The U.S. Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting Service Badge is authorized to all personnel who are assigned to Air Force Reserve Command recruiting stations. The badge is worn as a decoration centered on the left uniform pocket for males and centered on the right side of the uniform above the nameplate for females. The badge may be modified with a gold rope that incorporates a gold banner at the bottom of the badge that denotes the recruiter’s position (Staff, Assistant Senior, Senior, or Medical). Additionally, the badge may be modified with a gold wreath which incorporates a gold banner atop the badge denoting a recruiter's personal achievement (100, 200, or Master); these badges are called "Century Club Badges." Staff, Assistant Senior, Senior, or Medical recruiters with century awards have recruiter badges that are modified with a gold wreath that incorporates gold bannars at the top and bottom of the badge denoting both position and achievement; these badges are called "Dual Century Club Badges." However, recent official Air Force photographs of Air Force Reserve Command Recruiters wearing the Dual Century Club Badge have a numerical designation in the bottom banner where the recruiter's position is usually noted. This numerical designation could be a change in how recruiter positions are identified on the recruiter badge; however, no documentation describing this change has been found.

The U.S. Air Force Reserve Recruiting Service Badge is considered a temporary decoration and must be surrendered upon a service member’s completion of duty at the specified Recruiting Command.

The U.S. Air National Guard Recruiting Service Badge is authorized to all personnel who are assigned to Air National Guard recruiting stations. The badge is worn as a decoration centered on the left uniform pocket for males and centered on the right side of the uniform above the nameplate for females. The badge is issued in three degrees; basic, senior, and master. The senior and master versions of the badge have a star or star with wreath, respectively, which are perched atop of the badge. There are gold variants of each badge denoting personal achievements in recruiting.

The Air National Guard Recruiter Badge is considered a temporary decoration and must be surrendered upon a service member’s completion of duty at the specified Recruiting Command.

U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy Recruiting Command Badge is worn by all Navy personnel while assigned to duty with the Navy Recruiting Command. Excellent performance, meeting criteria set by Commanding Officer Navy Recruiting Command, is acknowledged with the addition of a gold metallic wreath, called the "Gold Wreath Award," that surrounds the badge. Subsequent awards of excellence are denoted with silver stars at the bottom of the wreath. Once a recruiter has achieved their 5th award, the silver stars are replaced with a gold star. Once a recruiter has achieved their 10th award, the wreath is upgraded with a gold scroll that's incorporated into the top of the wreath with the word "Excellence" embossed on the scroll. Subsequent achievements in excellence are denoted with the appropriate silver and/or gold star(s) at the bottom of the wreath. This progression continues using a large gold star on top of the scroll to signify the 20th award, a large gold star with wreath for the 25th, and two large gold stars and wreaths for the 30th. According to the Navy Recruiting Command Awards Manual, silver and gold stars at the bottom of the wreath are used to signify awards 31 through 39 and that four large gold stars, two with wreaths, are used to denote the 40th award; however it is unclear as to how these four stars are arrange on top of the badge. A Navy recruiter can earn up to 49 consecutive gold wreath awards for achievements in recruiting.

The U.S. Navy Recruiting Command badge is a temporary badge that must be surrendered upon completion of a recruiter's tour of duty as a Navy Recruiter.

U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard Recruiting Badge is authorized for wear by those personnel assigned as full time United States Coast Guard recruiters. The badge may be upgraded with a gold wreath which is awarded to Guardsman who have successfully completed Recruiter School and have completed the Personnel Qualification Standard. The badge is worn on the left pocket of active duty Coast Guard uniforms and is a temporary decoration which must be surrendered upon departure from a Recruiting Command.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy Admissions Recruiting Badge is authorized for wear by Coast Guard personnel assigned to a Coast Guard Academy Admissions Division billet. The badge is worn on the left pocket of active duty Coast Guard uniforms and is a temporary decoration which must be surrendered upon reassignment outside of the Academy Admissions Division.

U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Recruiter Badges are authorized for wear by those officers assigned as part-time or full-time U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHSCC) recruiters. There are three levels of USPHSCC recruiters that wear corresponding recruiter badges; Recruiter, Associate Recruiter Lead, and Associate Recruiter. These badges are temporary decorations. After three consecutive years as either a full-time recruiter or active status as an Associate Recruiter, an officer is eligible for the Public Health Service Recruitment Service Ribbon.

In an attempt to make full use of the USPHSCC existing recruitment resources to obtain candidates for the Corps, the Associate Recruiter Program (ARP) was established to be a volunteer program. The success of the ARP relies on participation of active-duty officers, inactive reserve officers, retired officers, students, civilians, operating divisions, staff divisions, and other organizations to which Corps officers are assigned. Although these officers are not required to be a part of the ARP to recruit, enrollment allows the Corps to recognize their efforts. Once enrolled, an Associate Recruiter is issued a USPHSCC Associate Recruiter Lead Badge or USPHSCC Associate Recruiter Badge as a symbol that distinguishes an individual's involvement in recruitment activities for the Corps.