Other Badges and Awards

Combat Crew Badge and Combat Readiness Medal - During the Strategic Air Command days, members of missile combat crews qualified for the Combat Crew Badge, worn over the right pocket on the uniform coat/blouse or shirt, and the Combat Readiness Medal, once the required period of service was met.  The medal was worn as a ribbon on the day to day dress uniform and as a medal on the formal uniform.  The badge was only authorized to wear while one served on a combat crew (missile or aircraft), while the medal was a permanent part of the uniform once it was earned.

Air Force Occupational Badges - There have been a number of badges authorized to identify specific occupations in the military, with the current Air Force Instructions including today's versions of the Missile Badge in this list.   There have been badges for maintenance, munitions, space operations and other specialties that some Missileers have qualified for under earlier rules.  For example, before the new Space Badge was introduced, Missile Operators also earned the Space Operations Badge.    

Pins and Patches for Alert and Maintenance Uniforms - Over the years there were a number of pins and patches developed to recognize outstanding achievements or significant milestones.   In operations, for example, crew members earned pins when they took part in operational test launches, or for consecutive numbers of highly qualified evaluations.  A crew member who wore a small blue and gold pin on his neck scarf or dickie with a 7 had seven consecutive evaluations with a highly qualified rating, a significant record.    A maintenance technician who wore a SAC Master Team Chief patch was a similar top performer.  There are many of these patches shown in the AAFM Patch Gallery.

Cold War Medal - Within a short time after the  Soviet Union fell apart and the Cold War ended, an effort began on several fronts to establish a Cold War Medal to officially recognized those who participated in that long campaign.   There have been efforts involving senators and representatives to push for a proper medal, but the idea is still unsettled due to several considerations.  One group comes up with a narrow definition of the Cold War warrior who should bet the medal, and another group says, "How about us?"  Can you really say that the lieutenant sitting on alert under the North Dakota plain is more important than the Airman First Class who had to drive  200 miles to repair the bathroom underground in the launch control center so the lieutenant could stay on alert? The strategic deterrent folks said, "It is just us!" and the tactical air folks who sat nuclear alert in Europe said, "Wait a minute - we were part of the deterrent, too."  It almost comes down to the issue that everyone who served during the Cold War played a part - and they all got a National Defense Medal, so a new Cold War Medal would basically be a new name for that old standby.  When the new Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal (NDOSM) deputed a few years ago, many of the same folks who supported the Cold War Medal just said  to make the NDOSM applicable to Cold War veterans,  But that medal was developed for the post Cold War era - applying it to Cold War veterans brings up the same questions as the basic medal idea - who gets it?  This is one that may come to resolution eventually - we will keep you posted.

Challenge Coins - In the late 1990s, a tradition from some other military organizations found its way into missiles and space - Challenge Coins.  The challenge came from a standard bar act, where one would place his coin on the bar next to a seated patron, expecting the patron to have a similar coin.  If the challenged patron didn't have his coin with him, he bought the drinks.  In today's Air Force, almost every unit has a Challenge Coin, and they are also minted for special occasions.  AAFM has produced a number of coins over the years, including one for each of several missile and space or missile and bomb competitions, as well as for some significant anniversaries.