Military Freefall Badge

Military Freefall Parachutist Badge
Awarded by U.S. Army & U.S. Air Force
Type	Badge
Awarded for	Qualification as a high altitude parachutist
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
First awarded	1 October 1994
Last awarded	On going
Precedence
Next (higher)	Parachute Rigger Badge
Next (lower)	Army Aviator Badges

The Military Freefall Parachutist Badge is a military badge of the United States Army and United States Air Force awarded to qualified U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force personnel as high altitude parachute specialists. It is also called HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) Wings.

To earn the Military Freefall Badge, the military member first must receive all necessary ground training, already have earned the Parachutist Badge (jump-qualified), and must have completed the requisite freefall (night, combat equipment, oxygen) jumps. The Military Freefall Course is taught by B Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) and lasts four weeks. The four week course is conducted at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, where students conduct airborne operations.

Stars representing participation in combat jumps, known as Combat Jump Devices, can be awarded with either the basic and master versions of the badge.

A star and a laurel wreath, centered above the badge, is authorized for soldiers and airman qualified as a Military Master Freefall Parachutist (Jumpmaster). Such qualification requires completing the Military Freefall Jumpmaster course, wherein the student learns how to be a jumpmaster in military freefall operations; course requirements include experience as a military freefall parachutist and completion of the static line jumpmaster course. Unlike the other badges in the army and air force, there is no senior qualification for this badge.

The dagger is a Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, used by the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, and represents infiltration techniques.

The arched tab represents tabs worn by special operations forces.

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Wikipedia