I am not a USMC collector at all so I'm looking for some info on JEST.

 

Dead link 5/16/15

I believe all branches of the Services could attend JEST. I am sure a quick internet search will turn up all the info you could want on JEST.

Back in the late 70s JEST was the Jungle Environment Survival Training. This was a 5 day course on Jungle Survival given at Subic Bay, Philippines. That patch was the insignia of the school, and was usually sold in the local PI tailor shops. The patch was unauthorized, it usually ended up on tour jackets and boonie hats.

 

I did a fast google search and it seems that the old JEST school and camp has now been turned in to some kind of adventure camp for tourists. Back then we got paid to wander around hungry in the jungle, now you have to book your own flight and pay for the priviledge of eating snakes.

Even when Subic Bay was still a US Naval Base Filipino civilians could participate in a crash course JEST program. It was a one-day thing. Usually outdoor clubs and scouting groups from different Philippine schools. At the end of this one-day thing the participant received a US Navy FASOTRAGRUPAC JEST certificate as well as two packs of survival cards. I think they were for pilots? I guess they were Vietnam War era as one of the cards had a map of Vietnam on one side. One pack was edible plants/ fruits The other pack was animals. Some of the cards were actually funny. One had pictures of an elephant, tiger and water buffalo with a caption that was something like "Do not attempt to shoot unless absolutely certain you can kill it with one shot".

 

Inside the JEST building was a board with lots of patches/ SSI from different US units, those that sent people to attend the JEST course.

 

I saw this patch being sold at several tailoring shops in the Olongapo area outside Subic. Anyone could pick this up. This same JEST logo is painted on the side of the JEST structure In Cubi Point, Subic Bay. I believe the patch is unauthorized. As Old Marine stated, when the US Naval Forces at Subic pulled out JEST became a adventure camp thing for civilians. However, the same Negritos that worked with US JEST Instructors in the JEST program are same ones still teaching the jungle survival skills in the adventure camp.

 

Philippine Police are also sent to attend the current JEST program. JEST SSI/ patches can be found at several tailoring shops which are easily found beside any police and/ or military HQ. I have also seen a JEST metal badge the size of a DUI and a larger one, also metal.

I went through this course back in '78, it was the Navy version of the Air Force course over at Clark AB. Prior to that time the course was mandatory for all aircrew flying missions into Vietnam. Afterward, it was just another course. Of course the Negritos knew their stuff and were more than willing to provide more training above & beyond the curriculum when asked. My own interest was mantracking.

A couple things stand out the first being the locally made machetes that were almost an obligatory purchase and, second seeing the Negrito instructors all dressed up in nice civilian clothes and eagerly waiting to go home as soon as the course was formally concluded.

Nice piece.

JEST, Cubi Point, Subic Bay, 85' or 86'... This is from an old transparency that got printed the reverse, which is why the "JEST" and "FASOTRAGRUPAC" logo's read reverse as well. These were painted on the side of the JEST structure. I think they did SERE there as well.

 

Great info guys and Its pretty cool that some of ya'll actually went to this training.

As for your question... there are actually a number of variations of this patch, often made by local sources in the PI.

 

So not as common as say a US made Army division patch, but not super rare either.

Interesting post. Do any of you have a JEST patch for sale? I recently found and bought a JEST negrito bolo like the one on this article on page 7 of the Oregon Knife Club March 2015 issue of their knewsletter, and I would like to display it with the correct patch. Here is a link to the article:

 

http://www.oregonknifeclub.org/Newsletter%201503.pdf

 

Here are pictures of my knife with a link to the obituary of the USN sailor who owned it, Yeoman First Class George Kenneth Jingles.

 

http://www.mckinleyfuneral.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=75563

 

 

Thank you!

This is the patch I'm looking for. I will also post it on the WTB subforum.

 

Thank you.

 

Send me a PM if this might help.

 

Keep looking on eBay.I have seen them out there.I could have bought boxes of those when I was at Clark, decided to spend it on other "things".There's a seller that use to go by X-Flip or something like that.He had a lot of patches from Clark & Subic.

Send me a PM if this might help.

Irish,

 

Much obliged, but I'm going to try to find the older patch.

 

Thank you!

Keep looking on eBay.I have seen them out there.I could have bought boxes of those when I was at Clark, decided to spend it on other "things".There's a seller that use to go by X-Flip or something like that.He had a lot of patches from Clark & Subic.

Firefighter,

 

will do. Thank you for the tip!