Tonomachi Posted August 7, 2017 Share #1 Posted August 7, 2017 I found this at the flea market today which looks like it is dated 1999. With the combination paratrooper wing and meteorologist badge I'm guessing USAF Special Operations Weather Team or I have heard them referred to as Combat Weather. My question has to do with the missing insignia that was sewn above the name tape. It is a rather small square something and was wondering if anyone knows what used to be sewn here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted August 7, 2017 Photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen297 Posted August 7, 2017 Share #3 Posted August 7, 2017 From the size, it looks like the shadow of a "Scuba Bubble" or Diver's Badge. The AF wore them on the right side. I have seen them above the name tape, but by generally it was worn in the center of the right pocket from what I have seen with the AF STS, if I remember correctly. Are there any shadows of an Army unit patch on the left sleeve? I now see the shadow of the Squadron patch on the right pocket so that is why it would be above the name tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted August 7, 2017 Many thanks or this information. I missed the fact that there is a pocket patch missing on this uniform. I'm assuming the missing patch is the AF Special Operations patch? I checked the uniform again and there was never any patches sewn on either shoulder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolunteerArmoury Posted August 7, 2017 Share #5 Posted August 7, 2017 From the size, it looks like the shadow of a "Scuba Bubble" or Diver's Badge. The AF wore them on the right side. I have seen them above the name tape, but by generally it was worn in the center of the right pocket from what I have seen with the AF STS, if I remember correctly. Are there any shadows of an Army unit patch on the left sleeve? I now see the shadow of the Squadron patch on the right pocket so that is why it would be above the name tape. When were Divers Badges worn over the right pocket. All that I've seen during my time in Service beginning in the 90s until 2014 & in photos & old uniforms in mine & other collections have it either on the led pocket, left pocket flap, & one had it over the US AIR FORCE tape under an occupational badge and another over the branch tape but with no other badges. The only AF badge worn over the nametape that I can think of off the tip of my head is the Commanders Badge but I believe that's only awarded to Majors & above in "major commands." Now, it is the correct size of a Scuba Badge & the same for a Commanders Badge so it could've been he made a mistake & wore one of them over there. If it were a mistake I'd guess but purely a guess he may've been given a command & mistakenly put the Commanders Badge on. I have seen some worse mistakes done in uniform. Many people I've served with weren't too good at putting uniforms together. I still see mistakes when I go on post. Sometimes even on uniform worn by Senior NCOs & senior Commissioned Officers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMarineCorps Posted August 7, 2017 Share #6 Posted August 7, 2017 Definitely USAF SOWT. As mentioned above, scuba bubble goes on the left breast pocket. Maybe this is your "guy": http://www.usafe.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000564925/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolunteerArmoury Posted August 7, 2017 Share #7 Posted August 7, 2017 Definitely USAF SOWT. As mentioned above, scuba bubble goes on the left breast pocket. Maybe this is your "guy": http://www.usafe.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000564925/ I wonder if that's relative or dependent of the LT since Danyluk isn't a very common name. She's a CPT & the other is a 1LT with the jump wings & occupational badge whereas as a COT she just has the one occ badge & it says she's in an Ops Spt Command. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share #8 Posted August 7, 2017 I wasn't sure as well as here (see link) is a photograph of her as a Lt. Colonel in dress uniform and no paratrooper wing. Unless of course USAF regulations prohibit more than one qualification badge above ribbons and she decided not to wear her paratrooper wings. With the Army I believe foreign qualification insignia were worn above the right pocket or name tape. Could this small square have been some type of foreign insignia? http://afrotc.rutgers.edu/cadre.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen297 Posted August 7, 2017 Share #9 Posted August 7, 2017 Yeah, I was in the Army also. I have seen the bubble worn many differnt ways when it came to the Air Force. On BDUs in the 1990s when working with STS I have seen it on the right side in the center of the pocket, above the name and on the left pocket in the center. On dress uniforms the same thing. Here is another one for you to figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolunteerArmoury Posted August 7, 2017 Share #10 Posted August 7, 2017 Army hasn't allowed foreign badges on fatigues since the 80s. We're authorized them on dress uniforms. The AF can only wear foreign badges on dress uniforms while serving with that service or in that country. I don't know if that's always been the case though. I've never seen them on AF uniforms or at least I haven't yet. A couple random caveats, Marine Corps uniforms regulations authorized till recently if not still foreign or other branch aviation wings badges over the right breast on dress uniforms (I'll have to look the page back up to refer to it-I've not seen anyone recently do it though) & in the 50s the Army & maybe AF allowed for other services wings to be worn on the right breast so an AAF could wear Army wings on the left & AAF wings over the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolunteerArmoury Posted August 7, 2017 Share #11 Posted August 7, 2017 Yeah, I was in the Army also. I have seen the bubble worn many differnt ways when it came to the Air Force. On BDUs in the 1990s when working with STS I have seen it on the right side in the center of the pocket, above the name and on the left pocket in the center. On dress uniforms the same thing. Here is another one for you to figure out. maxresdefault.jpg That's a new one on me. Wonder if we can happen across a photo of him in fatigues to see how he wore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen297 Posted August 7, 2017 Share #12 Posted August 7, 2017 I guess in the AF if you have enough glitter you can put on any empty spot you can find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolunteerArmoury Posted August 7, 2017 Share #13 Posted August 7, 2017 You may be right there. Perhaps they pin on via a dart board & see where it lands. I've found a few photos of the Diver Badge worn under the name plate. Haven't found a fatigue photo of that yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen297 Posted August 7, 2017 Share #14 Posted August 7, 2017 Yeah, my memory of the AF BDUs is from way back in my brain from brief encounters. Most of the time no one had anything sewn on anyways. So maybe there was a change on where it was worn on the duty uniform at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolunteerArmoury Posted August 8, 2017 Share #15 Posted August 8, 2017 Yeah, my memory of the AF BDUs is from way back in my brain from brief encounters. Most of the time no one had anything sewn on anyways. So maybe there was a change on where it was worn on the duty uniform at some point. I've seen several examples of sewn on badges in photos & uniforms all the way back to the 50s. Was there a period were they held back from it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen297 Posted August 9, 2017 Share #16 Posted August 9, 2017 Sterile training uniforms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted August 20, 2017 Share #17 Posted August 20, 2017 Females cannot be SOWT (well during that time they couldn't) Some do a sort of combat weather where non-SPEC OPS weatherman (women) are attached to Army AB units. A lot of AF academy grads get their wings in a pseudo jump training (its more like skydiving)...so they could be explained that way as well... Definitely not the 10 day course at Benning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share #18 Posted August 31, 2017 I restored the uniform and hopefully got the insignia correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolunteerArmoury Posted August 31, 2017 Share #19 Posted August 31, 2017 Females cannot be SOWT (well during that time they couldn't) Some do a sort of combat weather where non-SPEC OPS weatherman (women) are attached to Army AB units. A lot of AF academy grads get their wings in a pseudo jump training (its more like skydiving)...so they could be explained that way as well... Definitely not the 10 day course at Benning. AFROTC folks can do that AFA course too. Looks fine to me. It would be nice to be able to find a photo of that fellow especially in uniform. I'm curious if his Service Coat would be sat up the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboy53 Posted September 3, 2017 Share #20 Posted September 3, 2017 Sorry but I would have guessed the patch over the right pocket was a comander's badge or some sort of foreign one; and not a scuba badge. It doesn't make sense that the qualification badges on the right measure a half inch above the name tape and a qualfication badge on the right pocket is directly above the name tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share #21 Posted September 4, 2017 Sorry but I would have guessed the patch over the right pocket was a comander's badge or some sort of foreign one; and not a scuba badge. It doesn't make sense that the qualification badges on the right measure a half inch above the name tape and a qualfication badge on the right pocket is directly above the name tape. Thanks for commenting on this but I thought the USAF commanders badge would have been worn by someone with a higher rank of at least major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboy53 Posted September 5, 2017 Share #22 Posted September 5, 2017 The AFI says any qualified officer below the rank of colonel. Obviously, we have a weather officer here. However, I don't believe the Special Operations Command patch and the jump wings correlate as a silver beret holding officer. It calls the question, what else, if anything, we may know about this individual. I would have guessed this junior officer may have been an Academy or ROTC grad in order to earn the jump wings, not necessarily that the wings related to assignment as a Special Operations Weather Officer. If the shadow over the right pocket is a commander's badge, this individual may have been a squadron or detachment commander as a first lieutenant. I would also speculate that this uniform was worn up to the point that the new ABUs or desert versions would have been required. In the Air Force, badges like jump wings obviously tie to a military specialty but there are also those times when an officer or airman is in the right place at the right time and receive a once in a life time opportunity to earn the badge without going to the traditional school. It gives that individual a sense of credibility of indication of morale, dedication and professionalism that has value on a performance report or promotion board -- not too unlike the individual who earns a Ranger Tab but isn't a Ranger. For example, I know an Air Force Security Policewoman who was one of six SPs who volunteered for a special program leading to jump wings. She was actually a real sniper, did tours in OEF and OIF, and never jumped again. I know of a 25th Infantry Division heavy truck driver who was given the opportunity to earn Air Assault Wings but it had nothing to do with his MOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easterneagle87 Posted September 5, 2017 Share #23 Posted September 5, 2017 Interesting you found a "blue" scuba badge. A lot of times I saw they just used the Army black ones. Wen I was a t Ft. Campbell, the AF guys wore black Air Assault badge after they completed the course. I always liked the cross service qualifications worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1ashooter Posted September 6, 2017 Share #24 Posted September 6, 2017 I'm with Flyboy 53. What you know you have is a Wx puke with jump wings either gotten from the short course at the Zoo or from the Army jump school. ROTC Cadets could attend jump school if they wanted too. Or the officer was assigned to a airborne unit as the USAF provided Wx support for the Army. As to the shadow patch it the shirt might have been given to the owner or bought at the thrift store and the shirt kept in the mobility bag as a required item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted September 7, 2017 Share #25 Posted September 7, 2017 I love the discussion this one has brought about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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