FORT LEE, Va. –
An approved duty badge is now available for Defense Contract Management Agency military personnel to wear while assigned to the organization. A matching lapel pin version is also available for civilian employees.
Each military service has given official approval for service members to wear this DCMA badge beginning immediately and DCMA Manual 4202-04 will soon be updated to reflect this authorization. The badge is intended to be worn with the dress uniform or “class B equivalent” uniform, such as the khakis, blues and other service equivalents. It is not intended to be worn with the utility uniform such as the Army combat uniform, flight duty uniform, airman battle uniform and Navy working uniform.
The device is considered a temporary badge and is not intended to be worn upon termination of assignment to the agency.
The badge and lapel pin are available for DCMA employees to acquire through Vanguard which currently is the only certified retail supplier. The badge can be found by searching for “Defense Contract Management Agency on Vanguard’s site. In the future, the badge will be available to purchase through the military exchanges. Wear of the badge and lapel pin is at the member’s individual discretion and expense.
Designers of the DCMA badge said it’s meant to provide DCMA employees with a unifying symbol that they can wear. “DCMA members can proudly interact with industry partners, members of Congress, other military services and other joint organizations,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Ferguson, formerly the DCMA United Kingdom commander who was one of the designers. “I hope this badge and lapel pin will bring together military members and civilian employees from across the agency.”
Original efforts of establishing a DCMA duty badge began in the mid-2000s. However, the project stalled after an initial push. Last year, Ferguson and Air Force Maj. Joe LaMonica were asked to restart the badge initiative.
“I brought the previous perspectives to the table and coordinated with LaMonica so we could establish a badge that would endure,” Ferguson said. “We coordinated with the Institute of Heraldry to ensure the design, development, standardization, quality control and other services related to official symbolic items would be authorized for official wear or display by government personnel and agencies.”
The design has similarities to other Department of Defense identification badges. An eagle is centered on the badge to represent courage, honor and dedicated service to the U.S. The eagle is holding 13 arrows and an olive branch with 13 leaves and olives similar to the great seal of the U.S. There are 13 pieces of shield, which signify the original colonies and 13 stars representing glory. Other visual representations include the blue chief, representing Congress and a blue background, which match the canton of the American flag.