UNCLASSIFIED
171515Z OCT 97

MILPER MESSAGE NR 97-154 "CORRECTED COPY 2"
MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGES - PERMANENT WEAR

A. AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS, 25 FEB 95.

B. AR 670-1, WEAR AND APPEARANCE OF ARMY UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA,  1 SEP 92.

C. USSOCOM, DIRECTIVE 672-3, 1 OCT 94, SUBJ: DECORATIONS, AWARDS AND HONORS, MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGE AND MILITARY FREE FALL JUMPMASTER BADGE. (NOTAL)

D. HQDA, PERSCOM, TAPC-PDA, MEMO, 27 JUN 97, SUBJ: REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF ARMY RECOGNITION OF MILITARY FREE FALL BASIC AND JUMPMASTER BADGES. (NOTAL)

E. MILPER MESSAGE NR. 97-154 "CORRECTED COPY", DTG 181508Z AUG 97, SAB.

1. THIS MESSAGE EXPIRES 31 AUGUST 1999.

2. THE CHIEF OF STAFF, ARMY, HAS APPROVED (PER REF CHARLIE) PERMANENT WEAR OF THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGE. THIS BADGE WILL BE INCLUDED IN CHAPTER 8 OF THE NEXT UPDATE TO REF ALPHA.

3. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGE IS AS FOLLOWS:

A. THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGES IDENTIFY SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES (SOF) PERSONNEL WHO HAVE QUALIFIED IN ONE OF THE MILITARY'S MOST DEMANDING AND HAZARDOUS SKILLS, MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTING.

B. BADGES AUTHORIZED: TWO DEGREES OF THE MILITARY FREE FALL BADGES ARE AUTHORIZED FOR AWARD: BASIC AND JUMPMASTER.

C. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

(1) MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGE, BASIC. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE BASIC BADGE, AN INDIVIDUAL MUST MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

(A) HAVE SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED A PRESCRIBED PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION IN MILITARY FREE FALL APPROVED BY U.S. ARMY JOHN F. KENNEDY SPECIAL WARFARE CENTER & SCHOOL (USAJFKSWC&S); OR

(B) HAVE EXECUTED A MILITARY FREE FALL COMBAT JUMP.

(2) MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGE, JUMPMASTER. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE JUMPMASTER BADGE, AN INDIVIDUAL MUST HAVE SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED A PRESCRIBED MILITARY FREE FALL JUMPMASTER PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION APPROVED BY USAJFKSWC&S.

D. APPROVAL AUTHORITY.

(1) THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, USSOCOM IS THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR AWARD OF THESE BADGES.

(2) THE COMMANDING GENERAL, USAJFKSWC&S IS THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR AWARD OF THE BADGES TO QUALIFYING PERSONNEL UPON THEIR GRADUATION FROM USAJFKSWC&S MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BASIC AND MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST JUMPMASTER COURSES.

4. RETROACTIVE AWARD. SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES PERSONNEL WHO QUALIFIED IN MILITARY FREE FALL PRIOR TO 1 OCT 94 MUST OBTAIN APPROVAL PRIOR TO WEARING THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGES. REQUESTS FOR AWARD OF THE BADGE WILL BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING TO COMMANDER, U.S. ARMY JOHN F. KENNEDY SPECIAL WARFARE CENTER AND SCHOOL, ATTN: AFJK-GPD-SA, FORT BRAGG, NC 28307-5000. APPLICATIONS WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

(1) NAME, RANK, SSN, AND MOS.

(2) COPY OF OFFICIAL JUMP RECORD, DA FORM 1307 (INDIVIDUAL JUMP RECORD) AND ANY OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (I.E., GRADUATION OR QUALIFICATION CERTIFICATES).

5. REVOCATION AND REINSTATEMENT. THE POLICY FOR REVOCATION AND REINSTATEMENT OF THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGES WILL APPEAR IN PARA 1-30 OF REF ALPHA AND WILL READ AS FOLLOWS:

A. ANY MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST AND JUMPMASTER BADGE MAY BE REVOKED BY THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY (SEE PARA 3D ABOVE). ONCE REVOKED, THE BADGES WILL NOT BE REINSTATED EXCEPT BY THE CINCUSSOCOM, WHEN FULLY JUSTIFIED.

B. AWARD OF THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BASIC OR JUMPMASTER BADGES MAY BE REVOKED UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

(1) AUTOMATICALLY REVOKED UPON DISMISSAL, DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE, OR CONVICTION BY COURT-MARTIAL FOR DESERTION IN TIME OF WAR.

(2) AWARDEE IS PUNISHED UNDER UCMJ FOR REFUSAL TO PARTICIPATE IN A MILITARY FREE FALL JUMP.

(3) AWARDEE INITIATES ACTION WHICH RESULTS IN THE TERMINATION OF MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST, BASIC OR MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST, JUMPMASTER STATUS.

6. EFFECTIVE 7 JUL 97, THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGES ARE AUTHORIZED FOR PERMANENT WEAR. MILITARY PERSONNEL DIVISIONS/PERSONNEL SERVICE BATTALIONS WILL UPDATE PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION RECORDS USING PERMANENT ORDERS ISSUED BY USSOCOM OR USAJFKSWC&S. THE AUTHORIZED ABBREVIATION TO ANNOTATE SECTION VIII OF THE ORB AND ITEM 9 OF THE DA FORM 2-1, AND THE SIDPERS SUBMISSION CODES TO UPDATE THE OMF ARE AS FOLLOWS:

ITEM 9, 2-1 AND ORB SIDPERS CODE FOR OMF

DATA CODE: PD DECODE ABBREV: MIL-FF-PAR-BD, BASIC

DATA CODE: PE DECODE ABBREV: MIL-FF-PAR-BD, JM

7. THE MILITARY FREE FALL PARACHUTIST BADGE IS A GROUP 4 BADGE AND WILL BE WORN IAW PARAGRAPH 28-17 REF BRAVO. THE BADGE WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH NORMAL SUPPLY CHANNELS IN APPROXIMATELY SIX  MONTHS.

8. VETERANS MAY REQUEST UPDATE OF THEIR RECORDS TO SHOW PERMANENT AWARD OF THE BADGE BY WRITING TO THE COMMANDER, ARPERCEN, ATTN: ARPC-VSE-A, 9700 PAGE AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63132-5200. REQUEST SHOULD INCLUDE COPY OF OFFICIAL JUMP RECORD, DA FORM 1307 (INDIVIDUAL JUMP RECORD) AND ANY OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (I.E., GRADUATION OR QUALIFICATION CERTIFICATES).

9. POINTS OF CONTACT AT THIS HEADQUARTERS ARE MRS. WHITE AND MR. ROBERTSON, DSN 221-8700 OR COMM (703) 325-8700.