Tabs of the United States Army

Earning the Tab
Official Army video introducing and describing tabs in the U.S. Army

In the United States Army, "tabs" are small cloth and/or metal arches displaying a word or words signifying a special skill that are worn on U.S. Army uniforms. On the Army Combat Uniform, the tabs are worn above a unit's shoulder patch and are used to identify a unit's or a soldier's special skill(s) or are worn on shoulder patches as part of a unit's unique heritage. Individual tabs are also worn as small metal arches above or below medals or ribbons on the Army Service Uniform.

Tabs are valued uniquely in the U.S. Army because images rather than words are traditionally used for the symbolism of the shoulder patch worn to identify a soldier's unit. It is only to identify an individual soldier's or a whole unit's special skill that an additional shoulder patch is worn that uses words rather than images to symbolize this skill. For example, while any member of a special forces unit will wear the unit identifying patch that includes an arrowhead, sword, lightning, and Airborne Tab, only soldiers who have completed special forces training will have been awarded and wear an additional tab containing the words "SPECIAL FORCES" (i.e. the Special Forces Tab).

Some tabs are awarded to recognize an individual soldier's combat related skills or marksmanship and are worn by a soldier permanently. These tabs are also considered special skill badges and have metal equivalents that are worn on the soldier's chest if their uniform does not have a place for shoulder patches (e.g. the Army Service Uniform). Other tabs recognize a whole unit's special skill and are considered to be part of a specific unit's shoulder sleeve patch and are worn by a soldier only while they belong to that unit.[1] The Jungle Expert Tab is unique in that while it is awarded to recognize an individual soldier's skill, it is only worn by soldiers while they belong to certain units.[2] Similarly, tabs awarded at the state level by the US Army National Guard can only be worn by soldiers while they are on state-level orders.

Individual tabs

There are currently four permanent individual skill/marksmanship tabs authorized for wear by the U.S. Army. In order of precedence, they are the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, the Sapper Tab, and the President's Hundred Tab. --The Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab and Sapper Tab are all considered group 4 skill badges while the President's Hundred Tab is defined as a marksmanship badge/award.-- Only three skill tabs may be worn at one time.[3]

Special Forces

Special Forces Tab

The Special Forces Tab is a service school qualification tab of the United States Army, awarded to any soldier completing either the Special Forces Qualification Course, or the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course. Soldiers who are awarded the Special Forces Tab are authorized to wear it for the remainder of their military careers, even when not serving in a Special Forces command. The Special Forces Tab can be revoked by the Chain of Command for significant violations of conduct considered contrary to the high standards expected of a Special Forces Soldier (for example, DUI or other forms of misconduct).

The Special Forces Tab was created in 1983 and is an embroidered quadrant patch worn on the upper left sleeve of a military uniform. The cloth tab is 3¼ inches wide and is teal blue with yellow embroidered letters.[4][5]

Ranger

Ranger Tab

The Ranger Tab is a qualification tab authorized upon completion of the U.S. Army's Ranger School by a member of the U.S. military, civilian personnel, or non-U.S. military personnel. The Ranger Tab was approved by the Chief of Staff, Army, on October 30, 1950. The Ranger Tab can be revoked IAW AR 600-8-22, Section 1-31, para. 13.

The full color tab is worn 1/2 inch below the shoulder seam on the left sleeve of the Army green coat. The subdued tab is worn 1/2 inch below the shoulder seam on the left sleeve of utility uniforms, field jackets and the desert battle dress uniform (DBDU). The full color tab is 2⅜ inches (6.03 cm) long, 11/16 inch (1.75 cm) wide, with a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) yellow border and the word "RANGER" inscribed in yellow letters 5/16 inch (.79 cm) high. The subdued tab is identical, except the background is olive drab and the word "RANGER" is in black letters.[6]

Sapper

Sapper Tab

The Sapper Tab is a qualification tab which is authorized for graduates of the U.S. Army's Sapper School. The Sapper Tab was approved by the Chief of Staff, Army, on June 28, 2004. The Sapper tab can be revoked by the Engineer Commanding Officer of Ft. Leonard Wood, MO for misconduct, or not upholding the standard as an Engineer. Any requests will be processed through USASC.[7][8]

The full color tab is worn 1/2 inch below the shoulder seam on the left sleeve of the Army green coat. The subdued tab is worn 1/2 inch below the shoulder seam on the left sleeve of utility uniforms, field jackets and the desert battle dress uniform (DBDU). The full color tab is 2⅜ inches (6.03 cm) long, 11/16 inch (1.75 cm) wide, with a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) red border and the word "SAPPER" inscribed in white letters 5/16 inch (.79 cm) high. The woodland subdued tab is identical, except the background is olive drab and the word "SAPPER" is in black letters and the desert subdued tab has a khaki background with the word "SAPPER" in spice brown letters.[9]

President's Hundred

President's Hundred Tab

The President's Hundred Tab is a marksmanship tab which is authorized for soldiers who qualify among the top 100 scoring competitors in the President's Match held annually at the National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. This is a permanent award which will stay with the individual; there is no annual requirement to maintain the President's Hundred Tab. Most competitors will compete each year to ensure that less qualified individuals do not receive the tab.[10]

On May 27, 1958, The National Rifle Association requested the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel's approval of a tab for presentation to each member of the "President's Hundred." NRA's plan was to award the cloth tab together with a metal tab during the 1958 National Matches. The cloth tab was of high level interest and approved for wear on the uniform on March 3, 1958.

The President's Hundred Tab is worn 1/2 inch below the shoulder seam on the left sleeve of the male and female Army green uniform coats. The tab is available in a subdued version for wear on the Battle Dress Uniform (BDUs). The tab is covered in paragraph 29-16c, AR 670-1 and paragraph 8-53, AR 600-8-22. A full-color embroidered tab of yellow 4¼ inches (10.80 cm) long and 5/8 inch (1.59 cm) high, with the word "President's Hundred" centered in 1/4 inch (.64 cm) high green letters. The metal replica is 2 inches (5.08 cm) wide.[11]

National Guard - Governor's Twenty, Twelve, and Ten

Governor's Twenty Tab

The Governor's Twenty Tab is a state-level National Guard award, created in the 1968, that is awarded to the top 20 shooters in a state. However, award criteria vary from state-to-state. For example, within the Texas Military Forces, only eight guardsmen are presented this award for rifle, eight for pistol, two for sniper, and two for machine gun each year. Texas guardsmen compete against other Texas guardsman who have already received the award; thus, there may be one or two new recipients of this award each year. As of July 2014, 14 states have authorized the awarding of the Governor's Twenty Tab.[12][13][14][15]

In the Missouri National Guard, the top twelve guardsmans selected to represent the Missouri National Guard at the Winston P. Wilson Rifle and Pistol Championships are awarded the Governor's Twelve Tab. These tabs are worn on the upper-left sleeve of the Army Combat Uniform below individual tabs and above unit and honor guard tabs. The Missouri National Guard also award a Governor's Twelve Ribbon that accompanies the tab which is worn on dress uniforms; any guardsman who earns the award more than once wear Hawthorn Cluster Devices on top of the ribbon.[16][17]

In the Iowa National Guard, the top ten rifle and/or pistol shooters from the state's Army and Air Force guard units, as well as local Army Reserve units, that compete at the Iowa Governor’s 10 Shooting Competition are awarded the Governor's Ten Tab. Prior to 2008, the Governor’s Ten Tab was awarded to the top five pistol shooters and top five rifle shooters. Today, the rifle and pistol scores are combined so only the best 10 overall shooters earn the tab.[18]

Because this award is a state-level award, soldiers and airman in the National Guard under federal status (Title 10 of the U.S. Code) are not authorized to wear these awards.[3][16]

Unit tabs

Airborne

Airborne Tabs

The Airborne Tab is a part of the shoulder sleeve patch of U.S. Airborne units. Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning. The tab is worn immediately above and touching the shoulder sleeve insignia. The tabs are 2½ inches (6.35 cm) long and 11/16 inch (1.75 cm) wide. The letters are 5/16 inch (.79 cm) high.[19]

Mountain

Mountain Tab

The Mountain Tab is a part of the shoulder sleeve patch of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain). The 10th Mountain Division retains the Mountain Tab for historical purposes, but is actually organized as a light infantry division. The newly designated 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), is the only U.S. Army conventional brigade that specializes in mountain warfare.

Although they do not wear the mountain tab, mountain warfare training is a basic component of Ranger School and each Special Forces Group maintain detachments that specialize in mountain warfare.

Honor Guard

Honor Guard Tab of the 3rd Inf Reg
Honor Guard Tab of the 3rd Infantry Regiment
Honor Guard Tab for select units
Honor Guard Tab for select units
ARNG Honor Guard Tab
Army National Guard Honor Guard Tab for select units
Honor Guard Tabs

The Honor Guard Tab is a part of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and other selected units with ceremonial duties. The tab had been worn by the Honor Guard Company of the 1st Battle Group, 3d Infantry (The Old Guard) since early 1950. It was officially approved for wear by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (DCSPER) on October 14, 1959. The 3rd Infantry's tab is ultramarine blue 3⅞ inches (9.84 cm) long and 11/16 inch (1.75 cm) high, the designation "HONOR GUARD" in white letters 5/16 inch (.79 cm) high. The subdued tab is identical, except the background is olive drab and the letters are black.[20]

On March 16, 1965, the DCSPER approved a white tab with ultramarine blue lettering for wear by select Honor Guard units throughout the U.S. Army. Proposed designs were submitted on March 26, 1965 and the color reversed version of The Old Guard's tab was approved on April 19, 1965. A subdued tab is also authorized.[21] Additionally, there are other select Army and Army National Guard units that have their own distinctive Honor Guard Tabs that are not defined in general Army uniform regulations, such as the United Nations Command Honor Guard that wear a red (or scarlet) tab with white letters on the left shoulder of their service dress uniform.[22]

On December 31, 2012, the DCSPER approved another Honor Guard Tab for wear by select Army National Guard units. The new tab is an ultramarine blue embroidered tab with the inscription "ARNG HONOR GUARD" in gold 5/16 inch (.79 cm) letters, edged with a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) gold border.[23]

Band

U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band Tab
Army Training and Doctrine Command Band Tab[24][25]
U.S. Army Signal Corps Band Tab
Army Signal Center and School / Fort Gordon Band Tab[26][27]
122nd Army Band Tab
122nd Army Band Tab, part of the 371st Sustainment Brigade[28][29]
Examples of some select unit's Army Band Tabs

Similar to the Honor Guard Tab for select units, the Band Tab is worn by an Army band within a given unit.[30] The exception to this is the U.S. Army Field Band Tab which is an integral part of that unit's shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI),[31] just like the Mountain Tab worn by the 10th Mountain Division. Each Army unit that has a band can have its own unique Band Tab, designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, and can only be worn with that unit's SSI.[30] Once a band member leaves the band to join another element of the same unit, they can no longer wear the Band Tab but continue to wear their unit's SSI. Subdued versions of each unit's Band Tab is authorized for wear with their unit's subdued SSI.[32]

Combined Division

2nd ID's combined HQ tab

On 29 December 2015, the U.S. Army approved the wear of a black tab by Soldiers assigned to Headquarters, 2nd Infantry Division (ID). This black tab, worn immediately above the 2nd ID's SSI, is embroidered with white English and Korean letters spelling out the words "Combined Division."[33] The tab is used to signify the joint nature of the new combined headquarters made up of units from the U.S. Army's 2nd ID[34] and the Republic of Korea Army's (ROKA) 8th ID,[34][35] established on 3 June 2015.[34] The tab may only be worn by U.S. Army 2nd ID and ROKA 8th ID headquarters Soldiers while serving within the geographical boundaries and territorial waters of the Republic of Korea.[33]

Unofficial and Obsolete

Jungle Expert

Former Jungle Expert Patch
Current Jungle Expert Tab

Several tabs are widely worn unofficially by members of the U.S. Army. Often these tabs were worn on the underside of pocket flaps so as not to violate uniform regulations. Such tabs also appear on stickers, shirts, hats, etc. that soldiers would wear with civilian attire. These include tabs containing the words "SNIPER", "AIR ASSAULT", "FISTER", "SCOUT", and "RECON" or "RECONDO." The "SAPPER" tab was one of these unofficial tabs until 2004 when it became an official special skill badge/tab of the U.S. Army.

The Jungle Expert Patch was often worn by graduates of the Jungle Operations Training Center (JOTC) until the school became inactive in 1999. The patch may have been authorized for wear by soldiers assigned to U.S. Army South who graduate from JOTC but the patch was never recognized Army-wide; much like the quasi-official status the Cavalry Stetson enjoys today.

In 2014, the JOTC was reopened in Hawaii and the Jungle Expert Patch was revitalized as a tab which is authorized for wear by soldiers who complete the course and are assigned to the U.S. Army Pacific area of responsibility.[36] Other graduates of the course receive the tab as a souvenir.

Arctic

USARAK's Arctic Tab

The Arctic Tab is an individual skill tab earned by those who graduate from the Cold Weather Orientation Course or Cold Weather Leadership Course held at the Northern Warfare Training Center.[37] The tab is authorized by U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK) for wear on combat uniforms under the SSI of units assigned to USARAK while operating in the State of Alaska.[38]

Pershing

Pershing Tab

The Pershing Tab was worn as part of the shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI) for units supporting the Pershing missile system. From 1970 to 1971 the 56th Artillery Brigade wore the SSI of the Seventh Army with the Pershing tab. In 1971 the 56th FA received their own SSI that included the Pershing tab, which continued through redesignation as the 56th Field Artillery Command in 1986. The 3rd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment wore the Pershing tab with the SSI of the 214th Field Artillery Brigade. The Pershing tab was discontinued with the deactivation of units following the elimination of the Pershing missile system in 1991.[39]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pentagon.mil
  2. ↑ USmedals.com
  3. 1 2 U.S. Army Pamphlet 670–1: Uniform and Insignia, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Department of the Army, dated 31 March 2014, last accessed 7 March 2015
  4. ↑ U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum: Special Forces Tab
  5. ↑ Army Regulation 600-8-22, Section 8-49.
  6. ↑ Pentagon.mil
  7. ↑ Sapper leader course pamphlet section III, US Army
  8. ↑ Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia US Army
  9. ↑ Pentagon.mil
  10. ↑ USCG.mil
  11. ↑ Pentagon.mil
  12. ↑ Texas National Guard Marksmanship Program, Governor's Twenty, Texas National Guard, updated 4 Aug 11, last accessed 13 Nov 11
  13. ↑ TXSG Team Wins First Place In 2009 Texas Adjutant General’s Combat Pistol Sustainment Exercise Competition, Texas State Guard, by Maj. J. Michael Spraggins, dated 7 May 7, last accessed 13 Nov 11
  14. ↑ Governor's 20 Sniper Competition 2014, Texas Military Forces, dated January 12, 2014, last accessed January 19, 2014
  15. ↑ Earning the Governor’s Twenty Tab, By CPT Andrew J. Czaplicki, dated August 7, 2014, last accessed January 10, 2015
  16. 1 2 Tabs and Badges a Measure of Marksmanship, Missouri National Guard, dated December 14, 2010, last accessed May 18, 2014
  17. ↑ National Guard Devices, by Eric Bush, last accessed May 18, 2014
  18. ↑ Top Iowa marksmen train fellow Red Bulls, Afghans at Torkham Gate, Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System, by Staff Sgt Ryan Matson, dated March 11, 2011, last accessed February 28, 2015
  19. ↑ The U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry
  20. ↑ Honor Guard Tab for 1st Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, last accessed February 1, 2015
  21. ↑ Honor Guard Tab for Selected Units, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, last accessed February 1, 2015
  22. ↑ UNC Honor Guard (Official) Facebook page, last accessed 10 July 2016
  23. ↑ Army National Guard Honor Guard Tab, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, last accessed February 1, 2015
  24. ↑ U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band Homepage, Army.mil, updated 19 March 2015, last accessed 22 March 2015
  25. ↑ U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band Facebook page, last accessed 22 March 2015
  26. ↑ U.S. Army Signal Corps Band Facebook page, Facebook, last accessed 22 March 2015
  27. ↑ Soldier from the Army Signal Corps Band singing, Facebook, dated 25 April 2016, last accessed 17 July 2016
  28. ↑ 371st Sustainment Brigade Shoulder Sleeve Insignia with 122nd Army Band Tab, 122nd Army Band Homepage, last accessed 22 March 2014
  29. ↑ 122nd Army Band Homepage, Ohio Army National Guard, last accessed 22 March 2015
  30. 1 2 Distinctive Unit Insignia, Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, and Coat of Arms / Bands /, The Institute Of Heraldry, last accessed 22 March 2015
  31. ↑ U.S. Army Field Band, Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, The Institute of Heraldry, last accessed 17 July 2016
  32. ↑ TRADOC hosts Twilight Tattoo (Example of U.S. Army Band Tab worn above the U.S. Army Military District of Washington / Fort McNair Shoulder Sleeve Insignia), Army.mil, by Staff Sgt. Jennifer C. Johnson (JFHQ-NCR/MDW Public Affairs), dated 17 July 2014, last accessed 17 July 2016
  33. 1 2 Combined Division Tab, The U.S. Army's Institute of Heraldry, dated 29 December 2015, last accessed 16 April 2016
  34. 1 2 3 US, South Korea activate 1st-ever combined division, Stars and Stripes, by Ashley Rowland, dated 3 June 2015, last accessed 16 April 2016
  35. ↑ ROKA 16th Brigade staff visits 1st ABCT, U.S. Army Homepage, by CPL SeoWon Lee, dated 12 May 2015, last accessed 16 April 2016
  36. ↑ Welcome (Back) to the Jungle, Infantry Online, Benning.armuy.mil, by COL Brian S. Eifler, dated Jan-Mar 2014 edition, last accessed 16 July 2016
  37. ↑ Are you Arctic Tough?, www.army.mil, dated 26 November 2014, last accessed 7 May 2016
  38. ↑ Training for the Colld; NCO Journal, volume 21, number 3, dated March 2012; page 26 (pdf page 8); last accessed 7 May 2016
  39. ↑ "56th Field Artillery Command: Shoulder Sleeve Insignia; Distinctive Unit Insignia". United States Army Institute of Heraldry.
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