The Ram's Head Device is a military special skill badge of the

U.S. Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Army Na ...

. The Ram's Head Device is awarded to any soldier after completion of the

Army Mountain Warfare School The Army Mountain Warfare School (AMWS) is a United States Army school located at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, Jericho, Vermont to train soldiers in mountain warfare, the specialized skills required for operating in mountainous terra ...

(AMWS), based at the

Ethan Allen Firing Range Camp Ethan Allen Training Site is a Vermont National Guard installation located in Jericho, Vermont. It is the location of the Army Mountain Warfare School and the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. It was looked at as a future location for a pr ...

Jericho, Vermont Jericho is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,104. The town was named after the ancient city of Jericho. History Ira Allen and Remember Baker began surveying the town of Jericho in ...

. The badge is authorized for wear on the uniform of

Vermont National Guard The Vermont National Guard is composed of the Vermont Army National Guard and the Vermont Air National Guard. Together, they are collectively known as the Green Mountain Boys. Both units use the original Revolutionary War-era Flag of the Green Mo ...

soldiersVermont Permanent Order 121-01
Web Archive, posted on Military.com, Community Discussions page on 6 February 2009, last accessed 19 December 2020U.S. Army Pamphlet 670–1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia
dated 25 May 2017, last accessed 14 March 2020 and those Army National Guard units belonging to the

86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team The 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) ("The Vermont Brigade") is an Army National Guard light infantry brigade headquartered in Vermont. It was reorganized from an armored brigade into an Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) as part ...

(Mountain) from other states, such as: * 102nd Infantry Regiment DUI

1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) ( CT NG) * US ARNG 1-157 Inf Reg DUI

1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment (Mountain) ( CO NG) * 172 Inf Rgt DUI

3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) ( NH NG, ME NG, and VT NG) *

101st Field Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia

1st Battalion,

101st Field Artillery Regiment The 101st Field Artillery ("Boston Light Artillery") regiment is the oldest field artillery regiment in the United States Army with a lineage dating to 13 December 1636 when it was organized as the South Regiment. It is one of several National ...

( MA NG and VT NG) However, this badge is widely worn by other graduates of the Army Mountain Warfare School though not officially authorized. The award is authorized for wear by commanders discretion in most state Army National Guards.

History

The Ram's Head Device, is derived from the 85th Infantry Regimental crest which is topped by a ram's head symbolizing a unit skilled in mountain activity. The 85th was one of three regiments comprising the 10th Light Division (Alpine) when it was activated in July 1943. In the 1950s, the United States Army Mountain and Cold Weather Training Command at Fort Carson and Camp Hale, Colorado adopted the Ram's Head Device as the badge worn by their cadre.The History of the Ram's Read Device
U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Infantry, Army Mountain Warfare School website, dated 5 September 2013, last accessed 7 February 2014 In 1983, the Vermont Army National Guard Mountain Warfare School was established in Jericho, Vermont. The Ram's Head Device was adopted as the Military Mountaineer Badge denoting successful completion of the Basic Military Mountaineer Course (BMMC) and awarding of the Skill Qualification Identifier – E "Military Mountaineer." In 2003 the Vermont Army Mountain Warfare School became the United States Army Mountain Warfare School.

Wear of the Ram's Head Device

DA PAM 670-1 paragraph 20-5, section j, discusses National Guard awards generally: Excerpt from the State of Vermont Adjutant General's Office Permanent Order 121-01 (1 May 2006):

New Award Criteria

When the Army Mountain Warfare School was put under the control of

U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command The United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is a major command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces and the development of operational doctrine. ...

in 2009, only the BMMC (Summer) or BMMC (Winter) must be completed to earn the Special Qualification Identifier "E" , not both. Also, with the updated "History of the Ram’s Head Device" document (dated 5 September 2013) stating, "The Army Mountain Warfare School continues to award the Ram’s Head Device to soldiers who complete the BMMC." alludes that completion of only one of the phases of training (summer or winter) is now required to be awarded the Ram's Head Device.United States Army Special Qualifications Identifier (SQI), E Military Mountaineer
About.com, U.S. Military; Information derived from Army Pamphlet 611-21, dated November 2000; last accessed 25 January 2014

References

{{US Army badges United States military badges

History

Wear of the Ram's Head Device

New Award Criteria

See also

References