United States Army Army Diver Badges

Criteria: Created in 1944, the Army Diver Badge is awarded to Staff Sergeants in the Army who have completed the following: the military occupational specialty 21D30; the Basic NCO Course for MOS 21D30 including Phases I, II, and III within three years of attaining the staff sergeant rank; current basic life support CPR qualifications according to American Red Cross or American Heart Association standards. Recipients must also meet Army Physical Fitness Test standards and minimum standards of the Diver Physical Fitness Test, conduct DPFT as frequently as APFT, as well as maintain current qualification dive status in accordance with Army standards. Army Diver Badges include the Salvage, Second Class, First Class, Master, and Special Operations Diver Badges.

On September 17, 2004, the Army Scuba Diver badge was redesigned and renamed the Special Operations Diver badge, and an additional grade, the Special Operations Diving Supervisor badge, was created. The new design includes sharks, symbolizing speed, stealth, and lethal efficiency, and two Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knives in saltire, representing the heritage of OSS Operational Swimmers during World War II.