The United States uniformed services issue a variety of decorations to personnel who have performed recruitment duties as service recruiters. Recruiter badges are issued by every branch of the U.S. uniformed services except for the United States Marine Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps. All services issue a ribbon to personnel who have served as recruiters, except the United States Army. As of 2023, the U.S. Army issues the "Army Recruiting Ribbon" to all soldiers that make referrals that result in an enlistment, not explicitly to soldiers that serve as recruiters.
U.S. Army Badges
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 Gold Recruiter Badge which is a gold variant of the Basic Recruiter Identification Badge and work towards qualifying for the Master Recruiter Badge.U.S. Army Pamphlet 670–1: Uniform and Insignia, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia , Department of the Army Publications and Forms, dated 31 March 2014, last accessed 23 June 2014U.S. Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, U.S. Army, updated 15 Sep 11, last accessed 20 Nov 11Supplement 1 to AR-600-8-22, Military Awards, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, dated 6 June 2019, last accessed 3 August 2020
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 Gold Recruiter Badge is awarded when a recruiter has achieved 2,400 production points while assigned as a recruiter. The Master Recruiter Badge is earned in the same manner as the Army's Expert Infantryman Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, and Expert Soldier Badge whereby the recruiter must pass a series of tests and recruiting requirements in additional to holding the rank of a non-commissioned officer, warrant officer, or officer.Master Recruiter Badge OK’d for officers, NCOs, Army Times, written by Jim Tice, posted 9 May 2011
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 Identification Badge was also an identification badge of the U.S. Army until June 2001 when 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.Reserve Recruiter, 1971-2001 , by William K. Emerson, last accessed 29 December 2014U.S. Army Reserve Recruiter Badge , The Institute of Heraldry, last accessed 23 December 2012
Due to the stigma that existed with the U.S. Army shortly after the Vietnam War, the Army's Surgeon General requested a unique recruiter badge be authorized for wear by Army medical recruiters to help distinguished them from regular Army recruiters at recruiting events. In November 1991, the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel approved the creation of the Army Medical Department Recruiter Identification Badge which was in use until June 2001 when it was replaced by the Army Recruiter Identification Badges. This badge was authorized for wear in the same manner as the Army Reserve Recruiter Identification Badge. However, this badge replaced the Distinctive Unit Insignia on the black pull-over sweater when worn by Army medical recruiters.Army Medical Department Recruiter, by William K. Emerson, last accessed 29 December 2014Army Regulation 670–1, Uniforms and Insignia, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Department of the Army—via CIE Hub—, dated 1 September 1992, last accessed 13 April 2019
Recruiters of the Army National Guard (ARNG) 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 expert). The basic badge is unique in its design while the senior and expert badges are similar in appearance with the expert badge displaying the words "Peritus" in a gold arch at the top of the badge. The senior and expert badges can be modified to reflect specific recruiting awards, specifically the "Master 7" and "Director's 54" awards. On the senior and expert badges, raised gold numerals "7" or "54" are placed inside the raised hexagon at the top of the badge.Arkansas National Guard MWR, Recruiting & Retention Badges, last accessed 20 Nov 11Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Identification Badges , The Institute of Heraldry, last accessed 22 November 2013NGR601-1, Army National Guard Strength Maintenance Program, Department of the Army and the Air Force National Guard Bureau, dated 28 April 2006, last accessed 22 November 2013
In addition to the modifications that are made to a recruiter's senior or expert badge, those Army National Guard Recruiters that earn the Director's 54 award are also presented a special ring for their recruiting achievement.Plainfield Soldier Awarded Director's 54 Ring, readMedia, dated 15 April 2013, last accessed 22 November 2013
On 12 May 2008, the design of the Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Badges changed to what you see above. 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 used to have to words "ARMY NATIONAL GUARD RECRUITER" but remained basically unchanged since their introduction in the mid-1970s. The master version had a gold scrawl at the bottom of the wreath where the "Master 7" or "Chief's 54" (now known as the Director's 54) awards can be denoted.U.S. Army Directive 2011-11, Changes to Wear of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) Items, dated 13 June 2011, last accessed 2 January 2013
According to U.S. Army Pamphlet 670–1, 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. The expert version of this badge is awarded to National Guard soldiers as a permanent award. However, Army National Guard Regulation 601-1 states that all three badges are permanent awards that may be worn on the Army uniform regardless of duty station.
Ribbon
The Army Recruiting Ribbon was established in 2023 as part of the Soldier Referral Program. This allows all soldiers in the United States Army to participate in recruiting. All Army personnel, officer, warrant, or enlisted, who make a qualified referral that results in enlistment and shipping out to Basic Combat Training will be eligible for the ribbon. Individuals may earn the award four times, with each award worth 10 promotion points.
U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force Badges
The United States Air Force's Basic Recruiter Badge is authorized for wear by 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. Those recruiters who have completed certification as recruiters earn the Certified Recruiter Badge, which is identical to the Basic Recruiter Badge but has a blue ring that surrounds its perimeter. Depending on the recruiter's personal achievement, the recruiter can earn a Silver Recruiter Badge (badge surrounded with silver wreath) or Gold Recruiter Badge (badge surrounded with gold wreath), which is the highest award a recruiter can achieve. Also Air Force recruiters can earn the Senior Recruiter Badge, Master Recruiter Badge, or Command (Cmd) Master Recruiter Badge. The Senior Recruiter Badge is identical to the Silver Recruiter Badge but has a white star at the top of the wreath with a numerical designation denoting the number of times the senior recruiter has earned a Silver Recruiter Badge. The Master Recruiter Badge looks similar to the Senior Recruiter Badge but has a distinctive wreath atop the badge with a large three-dimensional (3D) silver nautical star set in a blue background. The Command Master Recruiter Badge is the same as the Master Recruiter Badge except the large 3D silver nautical star is replaced with a large 3D gold nautical star.AFRSI36-2801, Air Force Recruiting Service Award Program, updated 24 October 2012, last accessed 16 December 2013AFI36-2903: Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel; dated 1 February 2025; last accessed 19 February 2025
Recruiters earning their fourth silver wreath also earn the U.S. Air Force Silver Recruiter Ring while those earning the gold wreath receive the U.S. Air Force Gold 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), referred to as the Staff Badge. 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 banners at the top and bottom of the badge denoting both achievement and position; these badges are called "Dual Century Club Badges." Recent official Air Force photographs of Air Force Reserve Command Recruiters wearing the Staff and Dual Century Club Badges 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 positions are identified on the recruiter badge; however, no documentation describing this change has been found.U.S. Air Force Reserve Command Pamphlet (AFRCPAM) 10-105, dated 12 August 1998, last accessed 3 October 2020Image of U.S. Air Force Reserve Command's 932nd Airlift Wing Recruiter talks with a recent high school graduate about various jobs within the Air Force Reserve., 932nd Airlift Wing website, dated September 2012, last accessed 16 December 2013
An earned AFRC recruiting service badge is authorized for permanent wear by Airmen with an 8R special duty identifier in their records.