German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge

[SAR-EMT1]

A quick query for those of you who are or have been in the Army or Air Force and participated in a German Liaison event. Assuming one has been awarded the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency. . . AKA the GAFB. Do you wear the Badge on your CAP AF-style Blues ? A look at CAP regs refers to the AFI which leads me to believe any military badge/dec earned and properly documented can be worn.
Again I am referring to the GAFB aka the
( Abziechen fur Leistungen im Truppendeist) normally worn on the Army and Air Force uniform above the regimental tab above the name tag. I am not asking about the Marksman rope.

[AlphaSigOU]

It's already approved for wear on the Army uniform. Now that the Air Force allows wear of Army badges it shouldn't be a problem.
For those who want to know more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Armed_Forces_Badge_for_Military_Proficiency

[THRAWN]

It's already approved for wear on the Army uniform. Now that the Air Force allows wear of Army badges it shouldn't be a problem.
For those who want to know more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Armed_Forces_Badge_for_Military_Proficiency

AFI 36-2903 10.5.2 doesn't seem to support that statement.

[AlphaSigOU]

I stand corrected.

[PHall]

A quick query for those of you who are or have been in the Army or Air Force and participated in a German Liaison event. Assuming one has been awarded the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency. . . AKA the GAFB. Do you wear the Badge on your CAP AF-style Blues ? A look at CAP regs refers to the AFI which leads me to believe any military badge/dec earned and properly documented can be worn.
Again I am referring to the GAFB aka the
( Abziechen fur Leistungen im Truppendeist) normally worn on the Army and Air Force uniform above the regimental tab above the name tag. I am not asking about the Marksman rope.

One question. Why do you want to wear it on your CAP uniform? 

[raivo]

AFI 36-2903 10.5.2 doesn't seem to support that statement.

I've seen that paragraph interpreted two different ways, one which holds that it refers specifically to "aviation, medical insignia and parachutist badges", and one which holds that it refers to all badges. Later on in the AFI (11.2) it talks further about the wear of foreign badges (and other decorations) and makes no such prohibition. As with many things, barring further guidance, it probably comes down to the interpretation of the highest ranking person around.

I've seen it worn in service dress (there's one visible in my SOS class photo...) which I've since learned is definitely not correct - but foreign badges are rare enough that very few people actually know the rules on them. We don't even know our own rules sometimes - there once was a span in my group where nobody was sure whether or not we were allowed to wear full-size missile badges on our blues shirt...

[SAR-EMT1]

A quick query for those of you who are or have been in the Army or Air Force and participated in a German Liaison event. Assuming one has been awarded the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency. . . AKA the GAFB. Do you wear the Badge on your CAP AF-style Blues ? A look at CAP regs refers to the AFI which leads me to believe any military badge/dec earned and properly documented can be worn.
Again I am referring to the GAFB aka the
( Abziechen fur Leistungen im Truppendeist) normally worn on the Army and Air Force uniform above the regimental tab above the name tag. I am not asking about the Marksman rope.

One question. Why do you want to wear it on your CAP uniform?

For now i am just asking if it is being done by others who have earned it.
I had a break in my CAP membership and wore the Army uniform for a few years and earned it while I was away. Now that I am back it is one of the things I "could" add to my service coat. Just not sure if it is being done or not. AFI 36-2903 indicates it can be worn as a badge earned while involved in the Army, and as far as I knew, the latest revision of the AFI no longer restrict the wear of foreign / allied decorations and badges to OCONUS locations.

- edited for brevity

[SAR-EMT1]

So. . . Does anyone that has it wear it ?

[HGjunkie]

AF rules state you can only wear it in Mess Dress or Formal Dress, but the "when" is somewhat lacking in clarity. Maybe ask NHQ if they'll authorize it.

[Ozzy]

Per CAM 39-1:

4.1.5.4.4.  Badges. The total number of badges worn will not exceed four.  The commander's insignia does not count as one of the four badges.  Wear only one foreign badge, if authorized (see paragraph 10.8 ). Attachment 4 lists authorized badges and their approximate location on the various uniforms.

10.8.1.  US Military badges may be worn on USAF-style uniforms in accordance with authorizations and instructions found in AFI 36-2903 when appropriate orders granted by competent military authority are present in the member's CAP personnel record.   

10.8.2.  Foreign Badges. 
         10.8.2.1.  Foreign badges (aviation, medical insignia and parachutist badges). Are only worn in the conferring country or while attending official and social functions hosted by the awarding government (reference AFI 36-2903, para 10.5.2). Do not wear foreign aviation badges unless wearing a CAP aviation badge.

So no, I don't believe the GFAB would be allowed as it is not of any of the above. This is for the Service coat.

So. . . Does anyone that has it wear it ?

Yeah, I saw a senior wearing it last weekend at the NYWG conference, I wasn't sure if it was allowed or not but now that I've researched it, I'd let him know next time I see him

Edit:
We also have this in 39-1:

11.2.1.4.  Foreign Awards.  Foreign awards are so many and so varied, the number and combinations that may be worn will not be prescribed; however, good taste and judgment should prevail. Only those decorations that have been duly approved by Congress for acceptance and wear by the individual may be worn.  NHQ/DP should be contacted for direction in advance of wearing foreign awards with CAP uniforms.

However this section (11.2.1.4) is talking about Awards in the sense of ribbons rather then badges.

[Shuman 14]

Just a suggestion, and a suggestion that bends the rules a tad bit but wear the GMPB in ribbon form.



Now German Military regulations prohibit the GMPB from being worn in this fashion, many German uniformed civilian organizations (i.e. Police, Fire, Ambulance services, etc) wear it in this manner.

Simply order a plain black ribbon slide from Glendale http://www.paradestore.com/index.php/ribbon-slides.html and mount the appropriate GMPB device (i.e. Bronze, Silver, Gold) onto the slide and it will fit onto a normal US ribbon holder. Then wear it as a Foreign Decoration in your ribbon stack.

Here's where that rule bending comes in. Since CAP is a civilian organization and this how German civilian organizations wear it, it could be allowed... maybe... BIG maybe.

As already quoted

NHQ/DP should be contacted for direction in advance of wearing foreign awards with CAP uniforms.

so talk to your chain of command and send the request up and let them decide.

That being said, that would be less "ostentatious" wearing the ribbon version on a CAP uniform then wearing the badge itself.

I think the hardest part would be finding a supplier of the German ribbons themselves in the States.

[HGjunkie]

Because I really didn't have anything better to do...

The GAFPB is not an "aviation, medical insignia or parachutist badge" hence 39-1 10.8.2.1 does not apply. Based on 11.2.1.4, you should just ask NHQ if you can wear it. The AFI makes the same distinction and with the same consideration, here is what you get:

(Mess Dress) 4.3.1.3.3. Badges. The total number of badges worn will not exceed four. The commander's insignia does not count as one of the four badges. Wear only one foreign badge (see paragraph 10.5.2. for additional information).

(Class A) 4.9.1.3.4. Badges. The total number of badges worn will not exceed four. The commander's insignia does not count as one of the four badges. Wear only one foreign badge (see paragraph 10.5.2. for additional information).

(Class B LS/SS) 4.12.1.3.3. Badges. The total number of badges worn will not exceed four. The commander's insignia does not count as one of the four badges. If earned, wear only one foreign badge (see paragraph 10.5.2. for additional information).

10.5.2. Added. Foreign badges (aviation, medical insignia and parachutist badges). Are only worn in the conferring country or while attending official and social functions hosted by the awarding government. Do not wear foreign aviation badges unless wearing a U.S. aviation badge.

11.2.2.3. Wear badges or miniature medals on the formal dress or mess dress uniforms. Wear only one foreign badge (see paragraph 10.5.1.6. 10.5.2 [10.5.1.6 deleted] for additional information). When wearing more than one foreign decoration (miniature medal), wear them in the order earned.

So, a quick read says you're good to wear it with NHQ approval.

[SAR-EMT1]

Per CAM 39-1:

4.1.5.4.4.  Badges. The total number of badges worn will not exceed four.  The commander's insignia does not count as one of the four badges.  Wear only one foreign badge, if authorized (see paragraph 10.8 ). Attachment 4 lists authorized badges and their approximate location on the various uniforms.

10.8.1.  US Military badges may be worn on USAF-style uniforms in accordance with authorizations and instructions found in AFI 36-2903 when appropriate orders granted by competent military authority are present in the member's CAP personnel record.   

10.8.2.  Foreign Badges. 
         10.8.2.1.  Foreign badges (aviation, medical insignia and parachutist badges). Are only worn in the conferring country or while attending official and social functions hosted by the awarding government (reference AFI 36-2903, para 10.5.2). Do not wear foreign aviation badges unless wearing a CAP aviation badge.

So no, I don't believe the GFAB would be allowed as it is not of any of the above. This is for the Service coat.

Edit:
We also have this in 39-1:

11.2.1.4.  Foreign Awards.  Foreign awards are so many and so varied, the number and combinations that may be worn will not be prescribed; however, good taste and judgment should prevail. Only those decorations that have been duly approved by Congress for acceptance and wear by the individual may be worn.  NHQ/DP should be contacted for direction in advance of wearing foreign awards with CAP uniforms.

However this section (11.2.1.4) is talking about Awards in the sense of ribbons rather then badges.

I believe your referenced version of AFI 36-2903 might be outdated. The latest version removed the restriction on wearing foreign items to OCONUS bases or "Special Events". However the second half of the regulation requiring at least one US issued badge (or ribbon) prior to wear of a foreign item remains.

That part of the reg has been somewhat of an annoyance for me when I see commissioning ROTC cadets who are not prior service in their dress uniform on graduation day wearing the GAFB or Schützenschnur (<--which technically isn't even worn by officers) earned during their cadet time without any US ribbons or devices. All kinds of jacked up, but I have never felt like enough of a jerk to correct them on their "big day" . . . Although I have talked to a few cadre members afterwards.