The Marksmanship Medal is a United States Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard military award and is the highest award one may receive for weapons qualification. The Marksmanship Medal is the equivalent of the Expert Marksmanship Badge in the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. Additionally, select State National Guard organizations award marksmanship medals to guardsmen who achieve some of the highest aggregate scores at state-level marksmanship competitions.
Navy and Coast Guard Marksmanship Medals
Marksmanship badges (United States)
In the United States (U.S.), a marksmanship badge is a U.S. military badge or a civilian badge which is awarded to personnel upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course or high achievement in an official marksmanship competition. The U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps are the only military services that award marksmanship qualification badges. However, marksmanship medals and/or marksmanship ribbons are awarded by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Air Force for weapons qualifications. For non-military personnel, different U.S. law enforcement organizations and the National Rifle Association (NRA) award marksmanship qualification badges to those involved in law enforcement. Additionally, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) and the NRA award marksmanship qualification badges to U.S. civilians. Most of these organizations and the U.S. National Guard award marksmanship competition badges to the people they support who succeed in official competitions.
U.S. Marine Corps Marksmanship Qualification Badges
Examples of the NRA's Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Badges with shotgun and pistol clasps on the NRA Distinguished Expert Badge.
A Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet wears his NRA Marksman Badge on his CAP dress uniform
From top–left to lower–right: Distinguished International Shooter Badge, Distinguished Rifleman Badge, Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge, .22 Rimfire Pistol Distinguished Badge, and Junior Distinguished Badge