Master Flight Surgeon Badge

Criteria: Awarded to members of the military who are both qualified medical officers and certified flight surgeons. To qualify, a service member must be a commissioned officer holding a designation as a medical staff officer. Following completion of initial military medical training, a service member must undergo further studies in Aerospace Medicine. Upon completion of a medical residency, those eligible for the badge must next undergo basic air operations training consistent with that of a qualified aircrew member. Once all requirements have been met, a service member must complete a probationary period including a series of in-flight missions and medical skills evaluation. Only at the end of this lengthy process is the service member awarded the Flight Surgeon Badge. The U.S. Army and Air Force issue the badge in three degrees: Basic, Senior, and Master. The Basic Flight Surgeon Badge is presented upon completion of initial flight surgeon qualifications, while the Senior and Master versions of the badge are presented based on years of service and number of flight hours performed as a flight surgeon. Typically, the Senior Flight Surgeon Badge is awarded after three to five years of service, while the Master version is obtained after seven to fifteen years of service. The Senior-badge version is denoted by a star centered above the decoration, while the Master badge displays a star and wreath. The United States Navy and Coast Guard issue the Flight Surgeon Badge in a single degree. There is no Marine Corps equivalent because the United States Marines do not maintain a separate medical corps and utilize naval personnel for these tasks. The original Flight Surgeon Badge was first issued by the United States Army Air Corps during World War II.