United States Navy Diving Insignia

Criteria: United States Naval diver insignia are awarded, per degree of qualification, to sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen. The elementary naval diver insignia is the SCUBA Diver insignia, awarded upon qualifying as a basic naval diver. Previously, the SCUBA Diver insignia was awarded in two degrees, one for officers and one for enlisted. The Navy eliminated the SCUBA Diver Officer insignia in the 1990s, but it remains in service within the Coast Guard. The silver-colored insignia features an old-fashioned diving mask and open-circuit breathing apparatus.

The Naval deep sea diver qualification insignia are awarded in four degrees; Second-Class Diver, First Class Diver, Master Diver, and Diving Officer. However, the Marine Corps does not award the Diving Officer insignia to its officers. In the Navy, the master diver is the most qualified diver; he must be a Chief Petty Officer before applying to attend the Master Diver course.

The Diving Medical Officer and the Diving Medical Technician insignia are awarded to Naval medical personnel qualified as a diver and as a medical technician, the “Master Diver” insignia resemble the diving medical insignias but are decorated with a caduceus; the Diving Medical Officer insignia is gold in color while the enlisted Diving Medical Technician insignia is silver. Since the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard have no organic medical officers, it does not issue the Diving Medical Officer insignia.