Transforming Maintenance for the Army of 2030: The Technician Badge

By Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Jason E. Decker and Master Sgt. Oswaldo MaldonadoOctober 17, 2024

(Photo Credit: Sarah Lancia) VIEW ORIGINAL

Amid a rapidly evolving global security landscape, the Army finds itself at a crossroads, demanding a profound transformation to meet future challenges such as near-peer threats in large-scale combat operations (LSCO) and fifth-generation warfare in multidomain operations (MDO). Part of this transformation includes the creation of the Technician Badge, a replacement for the Mechanic’s Badge, which will transform today’s maintainers into the technician of the future. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the Technician Badge initiative, focusing on the benefits for the Army’s ordnance professionals.

The Technician Badge initiative is a direct response to the evolving needs and challenges the Army faces. This initiative is tied to several of the Chief of Staff of the Army’s focus areas. It is also tied to developing our sustainment warfighting professionals to be technically proficient in support of LSCO. It is part of an effort to transform continuously. Since the initiative is tied to both the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the operational Army, it is all about strengthening the Army profession, in and out of the institutional domains. It is a manifestation of the call to think outside the box. The initiative is also aligned with the Army’s visionary outlook for 2030 and beyond. The goal is to produce versatile technicians with a comprehensive understanding of a wide range of systems, technicians who can transcend the confines of battlefield geography where they may be the only maintainer in the immediate area.

The central focus of the Technician Badge initiative is initial-entry and junior enlisted Soldiers, whose roles are pivotal in shaping the Army’s maintenance and munitions force as we approach 2030. Initially, it will encompass the entire spectrum of Army career management fields (CMFs) 89, 91, and 94. However, the opportunity exists for the initiative’s expansion to include other centers of excellence and branches, such as Quartermaster, Aviation, and the Transportation Corps (TC), thus broadening the scope of career opportunities available to Army personnel.

Technician Badge Replaces the Mechanics Badge with an Achievement Program

The Technician Badge is purposefully designed to acknowledge and reward the exceptional skills possessed by drivers, maintainers, technicians, specialists, repairers, and special equipment operators. Eligible individuals are Soldiers who exhibit a high degree of expertise in operating and maintaining motor vehicles and equipment, as enumerated in Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards. The current standards for the Driver’s Badge will remain the same, but the Technician Badge leaves room for the TC to determine how it may further define expertise for CMF 88 in the future.

The formal approval of the Technician Badge occurred on July 5, 2023. The first Technician Badges were awarded in February to 53 ordnance Soldiers at the U.S. Army Ordnance School on Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia.

Several influential military leaders have commented on the significance of the Technician Badge initiative. Lt. Gen. Ross Coffman, Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Futures Command, envisions a dynamic alignment between the Army and corporate industry. This alignment aims to create a synergy where both entities mirror each other’s efforts in shaping the Army of 2040.

Gen. Edward Daly, while serving as the commanding general of U.S. Army Materiel Command, placed emphasis on the criticality of sustaining equipment and systems on the future battlefield. He underscored the ongoing transformation of the Army and the need to adapt to a rapidly changing security environment.

Brig. Gen. Steven L. Allen, the Chief of Ordnance and Commandant for the U.S. Army Ordnance School, articulates the initiative’s core objective. He says this initiative seeks to craft more knowledgeable Soldiers, who are adept at assessing and maintaining complex platforms, and who thereby bolster support for LSCO.

A Focus on Experience

In the civilian sector, industry certifications typically require two years of intensive institutional training coupled with an associate degree in applied science, entailing the acquisition of 8 to 10 certifications for entry-level technicians. Conversely, the Army’s approach places greater emphasis on experience.

Within CMF 89 (Ammunition), over 15 proponent-approved certifications offer Army personnel a diverse spectrum of professional growth opportunities. CMF 91 (Mechanical Maintenance) offers over 85 proponent-approved certifications, further enhancing the skill set of Army technicians. CMF 94 (Electronic Maintenance) introduces over 35 proponent-approved certifications, contributing to the versatility of Army maintenance personnel.

The technician’s journey begins with the Basic Technician Badge, awarded after a Soldier accumulates 12 months of military occupational specialty (MOS) experience in an operational environment and completes one certification in accordance with the applicable CMF or MOS listing on Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL).

The next level is the Senior Technician Badge. It is conferred after achieving 24 months of operational experience and after acquiring at least four certifications in accordance with the applicable CMF or MOS listing on COOL.

The highest level, the Master Technician Badge, is awarded after achieving 48 months of operational experience and after acquiring at least seven certifications in accordance with the applicable CMF or MOS listing on COOL.

Why This Is Needed

Traditionally, the Army has incentivized Soldiers to become self-taught lifelong learners and to seek higher education for self-development. The traditional paradigm of self-development through higher education prioritized earning degrees. However, Army Doctrine Publication 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession, teaches that leader development is a mutually shared responsibility across three domains: the institutional force (education or training institutions), the operational force (organization or unit), and the individual. In the past, centralized selection boards were instructed to give preference to leaders who had earned a degree.

While this resulted in many highly educated NCOs, generally the degrees obtained did not necessarily align with their CMF or the career map in Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA PAM) 600-25, U.S. Army Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Guide. Nor did the tuition assistance money spent on those degrees always generate a return on investment for the Army with practical and applicable skills relevant to military service. The Army Leader Development Strategy’s individual domain motivates the service member to respond to the challenge of self-improvement in a way that aligns with their CMF.

For these reasons, the Technician Badge represents a shift in the paradigm of self-development. It incentivizes technicians to seek out certifications and technical skills that are directly applicable to their field. This results in NCOs with knowledge, skills, and attributes that make them the most qualified and technically proficient in their CMF. It also increases veterans’ post-service marketability, which also can be a selling point in recruiting.

The Ordnance Corps is leading the way with updates to DA PAM 600-25 and centralized board guidance that will reinforce this new approach and reward Soldiers for becoming technical experts in their fields. This initiative symbolizes a significant step toward shaping the Army of 2030 and beyond. While addressing immediate operational needs, this initiative also equips Soldiers with highly marketable skills that facilitate a seamless transition to civilian life.

While also shaping the NCOs into the future, this initiative will benefit the ordnance warrant officers because it perfectly nests into the prerequisites and preferred qualifications that were modified in 2022 to support the Chief of Ordnance’s vision for how ordnance professionals support the Army of 2030 and LSCO in support of MDO. With the goal of increasing the technical depth of future warrant officers, the Technician Badge will further assist in developing and fostering the technical skills of junior Soldiers and NCOs and will assist in identifying the most technically skilled professionals to transition into the Ordnance Corps’ warrant officer cohort.

A Focus on the Future

The introduction of the Technician Badge represents a watershed moment in the transformation of the Army’s maintenance and sustainment capabilities that is perfectly in keeping with the visionary insights of military leaders and the ever-evolving nature of modern warfare. The Technician Badge modernizes Army self-development and incentivizes technicians to seek out certifications and technical skills that are directly applicable to their field, resulting in technically proficient NCOs who can build readiness in an evolving global security landscape. The Technician Badge lays the framework for the recruiting, training, talent management, and equipping of ordnance professionals who will conduct field-level maintenance, munitions operations, and protection tasks in 2030 and beyond. These ordnance professionals are the technicians of the future.

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Command Sgt. Maj. Jason E. Decker is a native of Iron Mountain, Michigan. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1996. While attending Northwestern Technical College in Green Bay, Wisconsin, he enlisted in the Army. He has served in numerous leadership positions, including senior mechanic, maintenance control sergeant, battalion S-4 supply NCO in charge, first sergeant, senior NCO maintenance advisor, and command sergeant major.

Master Sgt. Oswaldo Maldonado is a native of New York City, New York. He enlisted in the Army in 2001 while he was attending New York University Polytechnic as an aerospace engineering major. He has served in numerous leadership positions, including senior mechanic, maintenance control sergeant, battalion S-4 supply NCO in charge, first sergeant, sergeant major of training development at the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps and School, and the Commander’s Initiative Group for U.S. Army Ordnance Corps.

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This article was published in the fall 2024 issue of Army Sustainment.

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