To Be ... Earning A Place

Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Enlisted Warfare Specialist insignia is a qualification insignia of the United States Navy earned by Navy enlisted members assigned to the Fleet Marine Force of the U.S. Marine Corps who have successfully completed the necessary requirements.

To be designated an Enlisted FMF Warfare Specialist, a service member must serve a minimum of 12 months as a member of the Fleet Marine Force and must participate in designated forward field operations. Core and platform specific Personal Qualification Standards in a variety of subjects (Marine Corps history; weapons systems, tactics, aircraft, vehicles and vessels employed by the FMF; etc.) as well as an oral examination must be completed before the FMF Enlisted Warfare Specialist insignia is presented. Although this is a qualification for Navy enlisted personnel, it is unique in that only Commanding Generals or Commanding Officers of qualifying U.S. Marine Corps commands, Division or Group, can approve awarding of the designation.

Navy enlisted personnel permanently assigned to qualifying U.S. Marine Corps commands are required to complete this qualification with 18 months of reporting in. Hospital corpsmen (HMs), and Religious Program Specialist (RP's) are the most common recipients of this insignia; enlisted personnel who have received it may place the designation in their professional titles, e.g., Hospital Corpsman First Class (Fleet Marine Force), or RP1(FMF).

Navy personnel may also be awarded the Fleet Marine Force Ribbon which may be worn simultaneously with the FMF Enlisted Warfare Specialist insignia.
Navy members may NOT wear both the FMF ribbon and pin at the same time. Those who qualified previously for the ribbon must only wear the pin if they qualify under the new system.

Wikipedia

Questions for LT Rich or Karen:

• :Can you tell us more about this? Didn't your Seabees earn this?
• I think I remember something about LCMDR Breaux writing about this, or was it something similar?
• Any details or memorable experiences to share here?