Similar to its seagoing counterpart, the Command Ashore insignia is awarded to Chief Warrant Officers and commissioned officers at the rank of Captain or below who successfully complete six months of continuous service in a qualifying billet in the Coast Guard or Coast Guard Reserve. The insignia’s title makes it clear the billet must be in a shore unit, but just as important for eligibility is the requirement that at least ten military personnel must be permanently assigned to the unit or attending schools operated by it. (Those military personnel may be attached to subordinate units over which the command exercises command control.)
Technically referred to as a Device, the Command Ashore Badge is considered the equivalent of the Command Afloat Badge, and either one can be worn along with other qualification insignias. Officers or CWOs who have qualified for both the Ashore and Afloat version of this badge may wear them at the same time, but they must submit a request through the appropriate chain of command to wear the badge that does not reflect the current assignment. An officer who previously had earned the Command Afloat Badge but who is currently serving at the Coast Guard’s Special Missions Training Center at Camp Lejeune, for instance, would have to ask for approval to wear the Afloat Badge. The full-size version of the Badge is worn only on full dress uniforms; the miniature version is worn on all other authorized Coast Guard uniforms.
Command insignias are awarded by Area and District Commanders who are guided in their decision-making by the candidate’s overall performance. Isolated incidents of a petty or minor nature are not considered legitimate grounds to deny awarding of the Badge to an officer or Chief who has otherwise performed his duties in a satisfactory manner.