Graduation from a U.S. Army master gunner certification program[1]
Status
Currently awarded
Established
31 January 2019[1]
First awarded
8 January 2018[2]
Last awarded
Ongoing
Sergeant Cinthia Ramirez is the first active duty female soldier to earn the Master Gunner title and badge (2022).[3]
Precedence
Next (higher)
Driver and Mechanic Badge[4]
Related
Identification badges[4]
The United States Army's Master Gunner Identification Badge (MGIB) recognizes soldiers who complete one of eight U.S. Army master gunner courses and is an indicator for commanders and soldiers to value the master gunner's advice regarding the training and employment of weapon systems.[5] According to Military.com, the Master Gunner Identification Badge is the first badge recognizing a soldier's achievement of earning the prestigious position of master gunner, which the U.S. Army created nearly 400 years ago.[6]
According to a U.S. Army article, the master gunner is the technical and tactical experts for their weapon's platform. They advise the commander on everything related to the vehicle platform and weapon systems. They also develop training materials to conduct gunnery and live-fire exercises. "I rely on my master gunners. I probe them for information based on how best to maintain our weapons as well as train our crews... They are there every step of the way from the time we put those crews together until the time we qualify them...," said Captain Kevin Zhang of the 1st Cavalry Division. "Master gunners are trained in methodology... What it boils down to is knowing the standard and being that person in the unit to enforce the standard, and to make sure that people are qualifying correctly... We're also experts in current gun maintenance so we can troubleshoot and fix a lot of problems and issues that may occur at the range, on the spot, instead of having to fall back to unit mechanics," explained Sergeant 1st Class Nathan Quarberg of the 1st Cavalry Division.[7]
^ abMaster Gunner identification Badge, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 31 January 2019, last accessed 4 February 2020
^First soldiers pin on the Master Gunner Identification Badge, Army Times, by Todd South, dated 26 November 2019, last accessed 4 February 2020
^Sgt. Cinthia Ramirez Earns Master Gunner Title [Image 2 of 4]; Defense Visual Information Distribution Service; by Private First Class David Dumas, 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, dated 28 December 2022, last accessed 3 March 2024
^ ab"Department of the Army Pamphlet 670–1, Uniform and Insignia Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia", Department of the Army, dated 26 January 2021, last accessed 24 September 2022
^Master Gunner Identification Badge, A history of mastery in gunnery, NCO Journal (Army University Press), by Sergeant 1st Class Aaron M. Smith, dated 10 June 2019, last accessed 4 February 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^Army Awards First Master Gunner Identification Badges, Military.com, by Matthew Cox, dated 29 November 2019, last accessed 25 February 2024
^Master gunners bring expertise to brigade combat team, army.mil, by Staff Sergeant Jennifer Bunn (U.S. Army), dated 2 January 2019, last accessed 5 February 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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Global Information
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
