History
In 2004, the Air Force Space Command Commander, General Lance Lord, announced the introduction of a new space badge. The new combined Space and Missile Operations Badge, informally known as "spings" (SPace wINGS), "schwings," the "Space Boomerang," the "Space Blade," or the "Buzz Lightyear" award (after its resemblance to the animated movie character Buzz Lightyear) replaced the Missile Badge for operators. This new badge infuriated the vast majority of current and former space and missile operators by eliminating a historically significant badge of honor. In addition, the new badge is no longer limited to pure space and missile operators/maintainers, but is also awarded to 61XX, 62XX and 63XX who have performed space/ICBM acquisition duties, even if they were non-operational in nature.
Also in 2004, Interim Change (IC) 2004-1 to AFI 36-2923 expanded the missile badge award criteria to include the 21M and 2W career fields. 36-2923 was rendered obsolete and superseded by AFI 36-2903 dated 2 Aug 2006. 21M Officers that do not complete MMOC must supervise 2M/2W personnel in maintenance loading and unloading for 12 months to be awarded the basic badge. 2W personnel are awarded the basic badge after working directly with guided missiles or missile systems for 12 months after completion of technical training school.
After deactivation of the Titan missile system, enlisted personnel were no longer authorized to earn the Missile Badge with operations designator. However, all enlisted personnel assigned to nuclear silo maintenance duty are eligible to wear the standard Missile Badge (without the operations designator) if qualified under the military specialties 411XX or the new 2M0XX field. From 1991-early 2006, the Missile Badge was the standard specialty badge for the above two career fields.
In June 2008, Air Force Chief of Staff Michael Moseley announced the return of the missile badge with operations designator for intercontinental ballistic missile crews. The missile badge may be worn with the space badge by those who qualify.
Read more about this topic: Missile Badge
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—Howard Estabrook (1884–1978)
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“I am ashamed to see what a shallow village tale our so-called History is. How many times must we say Rome, and Paris, and Constantinople! What does Rome know of rat and lizard? What are Olympiads and Consulates to these neighboring systems of being? Nay, what food or experience or succor have they for the Esquimaux seal-hunter, or the Kanaka in his canoe, for the fisherman, the stevedore, the porter?”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)