Clarification Regarding Wear of Combat Aircrew Insignia

1. DUE TO CONTINUING OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF
THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM, MANY MARINES HAVE PARTICIPATED IN
AERIAL FLIGHT INVOLVING COMBAT AND HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN
AWARDED THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA. 
2. THIS DOCUMENT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE AMPLIFYING INFORMATION 
AND FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF THE REFERENCES AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE
REGARDING THE AWARDING AND WEAR OF THE DEVICE UNTIL CHANGES CAN 
BE INCORPORATED INTO REFS. 
A. THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA IS TO BE AWARDED EXCLUSIVELY TO
ENLISTED MARINES AND SAILORS, THAT ARE DESIGNATED AIRCREWMEN AND
HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AERIAL COMBAT. 
B. THE FOLLOWING ENLISTED MOS AND SKILL DESIGNATORS, WHO MEET
THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN PARA A, ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE
COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA.
(1) PMOS/AMOS: 6172, 6173, 6174, 6176, 6276, 7372, AND 7382 
(2) SKILL DESIGNATORS: 6199, 6242, 6243, 6244, 6245, 6246,
AND 6247.
C. NAVY PERSONNEL ASSIGNED AS CORPSMAN, AND DESIGNATED BY THE
COMMAND AS FLIGHT CREW, MUST BE NATOPS QUALIFIED AS AN AERIAL
OBSERVER. MEDICAL SPECIALISTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE COMBAT
AIRCREW INSIGNIA ONLY WHILE SERVING WITH A USMC UNIT. 
D. OFFICERS MAY BE AWARDED THE NAVAL AIRCREW DEVICE, BUT NOT
THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA. HOWEVER, MARINES WHO EARN THE
COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA WHILE ENLISTED MAY CONTINUE TO WEAR 
THE INSIGNIA ONCE COMMISSIONED. 
3. PRECEDENCE FOR WEAR OF THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA SHALL
BE IAW REF B.
A. ENLISTED MARINE AERIAL NAVIGATORS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO
WEAR BOTH THE AERIAL NAVIGATOR AND COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA AT
THE SAME TIME; THE DEVICES SHALL BE WORN AS AN INDIVIDUAL OPTION.
4. STARS MAY BE AWARDED AS PER REF A. PER REF B; SILVER STARS
MAY BE WORN IN LIEU OF 3 GOLD STARS. A MAXIMUM OF 3 SILVER STARS
MAY BE WORN ON THE DEVICE. ENTRIES INTO THE MEMBERS RECORD BOOK 
SHALL BE ENTERED TO NOTE THE NUMBER OF STARS AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR.
5. IAW REF A, UNIT COMMANDERS MAY DESIGNATE AS COMBAT AIRCREWMEN
AND AUTHORIZE THE WEARING OF THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA, 
THOSE ENLISTED PERSONNEL WHO SATISFACTORILY MEET THE PREREQUISITES.
UNITS SHALL MAKE AN APPROPRIATE ENTRY (TO INCLUDE ANY AUTHORIZATION
FOR COMBAT STARS AS DESCRIBED IN PARA 4) IN THE MARINE'S RECORD
PER CURRENT INSTRUCTION.
6. THE RIGHT TO WEAR THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA IS RESCINDED
UPON TRANSFER FROM THE UNIT FROM WHICH THE INSIGNIA WERE AWARDED,
UNLESS PERMANENT RETENTION OF THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA IS
AUTHORIZED UNDER PARA 3310.4 OF REF A. IN CASES NOT COVERED 
BY REF A, REQUESTS FOR PERMANENT RETENTION OF THE COMBAT AIRCREW
INSIGNIA MUST BE ROUTED TO HQMC (ASM) FOR FINAL ADJUDICATION.
THE COMBAT AIRCREW INSIGNIA IS TO BE AWARDED AT THE SQUADRON 
LEVEL ONLY. 
7. COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS AWARDED THE COMBAT 
AIRCREW INSIGNIA COMPLY WITH THE CRITERIA AS SET FORTH IN THIS
MESSAGE. MARINES AND SAILORS MISTAKENLY AWARDED THE COMBAT AIRCREW
INSIGNIA SHALL HAVE THEIR RECORDS CORRECTED, AND WILL BE NO LONGER 
AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE DEVICE.
8. THIS PROVISION IS RETROACTIVE TO 1 SEP 01.