JAPAN GROUND SELF DEFENSE FORCE JGSDF ENLISTED RANGER BADGE ORIGINAL ISSUE

Description

Updated 22 August 2020.
E
nlisted ranger badge.
Silver = enlisted.
Gold = officer. Officer Ranger badge is a prepaid special order item since I am currently out-of-stock. .99.
Original issue to members of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) upon graduation from Ranger School.
B&T 619 = Bragg & Turner Color Drawing 619. Source: Blandford Colour Series book.
Parachute Badges and Insignia of the World
by R.J. Bragg & Roy Turner.
Ranger training started in 1956 at the Fuji School. Initial training was given by two JGSDF officers who had graduated from the US Army Ranger School. The Japanese training was a copy of the US training. In 1960, Ranger training was also given by local infantry regiments. This resulted in the development of courses according to the country’s geography depending on where the unit was stationed.
In general, there are four Ranger courses: The first one is the local course given at division, brigade or regiment level. The course is given by instructors who have completed the Fuji School course, but are localized according to the area in charge of each unit. When succesfully completing the course the silver Ranger wing is earned for enlisted men. The second one is the course for instructor candidates and officers. They need to complete a 13-week course at the Fuji School. Those who complete the course get a silver/gold wing for enlisted instructors or a complete golden wing for the officers. A third course is given within the 1st Airborne Brigade for their own personnel which also gives them the right to wear a silver wing. And finally, the fourth, the Winter Ranger Course, is given at Niseko (Hokkaido) by the Cold Weather Combat Training Unit. This is advanced post-graduate Ranger training for cold weather warfare. Soldiers who complete this course are entitled to wear additional specialty badges (Winter Ranger – Ski) next to the silver Ranger wings. Japan doesn’t have a specific Ranger unit, all rangers are spread among the units, except everyone in the 1st Airborne Brigade must be jump and Ranger qualified. It is however possible to create such a unit with qualified personnel if a certain situation would require this.
Beware of reproduction Japanese badges and patches listed on eBay.
See my other listings of enlisted Ranger badges: original issue and commercial Sta-brite finish.
FREE S&H.
Same-day payment, same-day shipping.