Air Force Commander's Insignia
The Air Force Commander's Insignia is an insignia of the United States Air Force, that has been in existence since 2002. Also known as the USAF Commander's Badge, the Air Force Commander's Insignia is awarded to any Air Force officer who holds a major command billet within the United States Air Force.
To be eligible for the Air Force Commander's Insignia, an Air Force officer must hold permanent assignment in a command billet, normally in the rank of Major or above. Examples of such billets would include any unit with a C-coded Commander holding UCMJ authority (G-Series Orders) including: Detachment, Squadron, Group, and Wing commanders, as well as the commanding officers of major Air Force installations such as Air Force bases.
Commanders of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Detachments are also authorized to wear the Air Force Commander's Badge.
The Air Force Commander's Insignia is worn above the name tag when in command of a detachment, squadron, group, wing, Numbered Air Force (NAF), major command (MAJCOM), or Unified Command. The insignia is worn below the name tag upon completion of such a command assignment.
Guidelines for wear
Below are some general guidelines for award of the Air Force Commander's Insignia:
AFI 36-2903 9.3.25.3. Command Insignia Pin. Air Force Command Insignia Pin is mandatory for current commanders and optional for graduated commanders. This pin is authorized to be worn by all eligible commissioned officers in the rank of Colonel (O-6) and below. Current commanders center command insignia pin on wearer's right side, adjacent to occupational badges worn on wearer's left. Graduated commanders center commander insignia pin on wearer's right, in a relative position, adjacent to medals worn to the wearer's left. If a duty badge and the (current) command insignia pin are worn together, center command insignia pin ½ inch above duty badge. If two duty badges and the (current) command insignia pin are worn together, place command insignia pin ½ inch above both duty badges and center, with both duty badges evenly spaced ½ inch apart. Position command insignia pin between the two duty badges. If member is a graduated commander, center command insignia pin ½ inch below duty badge, if wearing only one duty badge or center command insignia pin ½ inch below duty badges, evenly spaced ½ inch apart, if wearing two duty badges.
Equivalents
The United States Navy and United States Coast Guard equivalents of the Air Force Commander's Insignia are the Command at Sea insignia and the Command Ashore insignia. The United States Marine Corps has no equivalent, while the former equivalent in the United States Army was the Combat Leader Identification that was worn on the shoulder loop of the green jacket of now-obsolete Class-A Service Uniform. As the uniform is now obsolete, so is the insignia.