Diver Badge 1st Class

Criteria: Awarded to United States Army soldiers holding the rank of staff sergeant, who, additionally, are awarded and retain the military occupational specialty 21D30, complete the Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course for MOS 21D30 including Phases I, II, and II within three years after attaining the staff sergeant rank, maintain current basic life support cardiovascular pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) qualifications according to American Red Cross or American Heart Association standards, meet Army Physical Fitness Test standards and minimum standards of the Diver Physical Fitness Test, conduct DPFT as frequently as APFT, and maintain current qualification dive status in accordance with Army standards. The award was created on February 15, 1944. Other Army Diver Badges include the Salvage, Second Class, Master, and Special Operations Diver Badges. The Diver Badge 1st Class badge depicts the design of the diver’s helmet reflecting diving operations and includes dolphins – suggesting the function of diving without the helmet required of a deep sea diver.