May 8, 2010:
Two years after it was first proposed, the U.S. Air Force has finally issued its cyberspace badge. This is for airmen (officers and enlisted) who have been trained to handle warfare via the Internet or wireless networks. In short, Cyber War experts. The badge looks, at a distance, like pilots wings. But the wings are composed of lightning bolts, and the globe in the middle has more of them. The badge comes in three flavors; basic, senior and master, depending on the skills and experiences. Initially, many will be awarded the badge for previous experience in the field, even if they have not taken the required training courses. But eventually, the only way to earn the basic badge will be via training. The senior and master badges require a combination of training and on-the-job experience.