The Ram's Head Device is a Group 4 "special skill" badge of the

United States Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...

. The Ram's Head Device is awarded to any service-member upon 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 terrai ...

(AMWS), based at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in

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 ...

, though its wear is (officially) only permitted on the uniforms of

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

National Guard personnel serving in a state capacity. The device is set to be replaced by the U.S. Army's "Mountaineering Badge," which is heavily inspired by the "ram's head," and is set to be authorized for wear Army-wide.

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

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 o ...

(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 active 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 N ...

( MA NG and VT NG) However, this badge is widely worn by other national guard graduates of the Army Mountain Warfare School, though not officially authorized.

Updated 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. During the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Exposition,

Sergeant Major of the Army The sergeant major of the Army (SMA) is a unique noncommissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Army, unless an enlisted soldier is servin ...

Michael Weimer Michael R. Weimer (born ) is a United States Army soldier who has served as Sergeant Major of the Army since August 4, 2023. He previously served as the command sergeant major at the United States Army Special Operations Command.Army to award Master Combat Badge to expert, combat-tested soldiers
Defense News, by Todd South, dated 16 October 2024, last accessed 4 November 2024

New badge

In October 2024

(SMA)

Michael Weimer Michael R. Weimer (born ) is a United States Army soldier who has served as Sergeant Major of the Army since August 4, 2023. He previously served as the command sergeant major at the United States Army Special Operations Command. However, on 20 March 2025, the badge — now referred to as the "Mountaineering Badge" — was revealed to be virtually identical to the former badge, with a slight re-stylization of the ram's head and the inclusion of mountaineering tools behind the ram's head. The U.S. Army's Institute of Heraldry has until 19 May 2025 to alter the proposed badge design. The badge will be considered a "special skill badge" within "Group 4" and wear will regulated by
DA PAM 670-1
'.https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2025/03/20/army-unveils-new-mariner-and-mountaineer-badges/

References

{{US Army badges United States military badges

History

Wear of the Ram's Head Device

Updated award criteria

New badge

See also

References