The President's Hundred tab/brassard is a badge awarded by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) to the 100 top-scoring military and civilian shooters in the President's Pistol and President's Rifle Matches.
| The President's Hundred tab/brassard | |
|---|---|
    1st: Army/Air Force metallic badge variant 2nd: Army color shoulder sleeve variant 3rd: Army/Air Force subdued shoulder sleeve variant 4th: Coast Guard shoulder sleeve variant 5th: Navy shoulder sleeve variant | |
| Type | Tab |
| Awarded for | Awarded to the 100 top-scoring military and civilian shooters in the President's Pistol and President's Rifle Matches. |
| Presented by | Civilian Marksmanship Program |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Last awarded | Ongoing |
| Related | Marksmanship badges (United States) |
The tab is authorized for wear on military uniforms of the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard (enlisted only). The brassard version is authorized for wear on enlisted uniforms of the U.S. Navy.
History
editThe National Rifle Association of America's (NRA) President's Match was instituted at the NRA matches of 1878, as the American Military Rifle Championship Match.[1] It was patterned after an event for British Volunteers called the Queen's Prize, a competition initiated by the British National Rifle Association in 1860, for which Queen Victoria personally offered a £250 prize to the winner.[1][2][3]
In 1884, the name was changed to the President's Match for the Military Rifle Championship of the United States. It was fired at Creedmoor, New York, until 1891. In 1895, it was reintroduced at Sea Girt, New Jersey.[1][2]
The tradition of making a letter from the President of the United States the first prize began in 1904, when President Theodore Roosevelt personally wrote a letter of congratulations to the winner, Private Howard Gensch of the 1st Regiment of Infantry of the New Jersey National Guard.[1][2]
It cannot be ascertained as to when the President's Match was discontinued; however, it is known that it was not fired during World Wars I and II. It appears to have disappeared during the 1930s and during the Depression when lack of funds severely curtailed the holding of matches.[1][2]
The President's Match was reinstated in 1957 at the National Matches as "The President's Hundred." The 100 top-scoring competitors in the President's Match were singled out for special recognition in a retreat ceremony in which they passed in review before the winner and former winners of this historic match.[1][2]
On 27 May 1958, the NRA requested approval of a tab for presentation to each member of the "President's Hundred." NRA's plan was to award the cloth tab together with a metal brassard during the 1958 National Matches. The cloth tab was approved for wear on the uniform on 3 March 1958. The first awards were made at Camp Perry, Ohio, in early September 1958. Only the U.S. Navy has authorized the wear of the metal brassard on the uniforms of enlisted sailors. However, the NRA issued the metal brassard to all military and civilian personnel for wear on the shooting jacket.[1][2][3]
In 1977, the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (NBPRP) assumed responsibility for the President's Match from the NRA. Today the CMP holds the National Matches and awards the President's Hundred tab/brassard to the top 100 shooters in those matches.[2][4]
Only six Air Force service members have ever won a President's Hundred tab for pistol.[5]
Other tabs
editThe President's Hundred Tab is one of four permanent individual skill/marksmanship tabs (as compared to a badge) authorized for wear by the U.S. Army. In order of precedence on the uniform, they are the President's Hundred tab, the Special Forces tab, the Ranger tab, and the Sapper tab. Only three may be worn at one time.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g President's Hundred Tab; The Institute of Heraldry, Department of the Army; last accessed 24 March 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g A Short History of the President's Match and the President's Hundred, by Hap Rocketto, dated 19 March 2008, last accessed 24 March 2023.
- ^ a b U.S. Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, Official Department of the Army Publications and Forms, dated 5 March 2019, last accessed 24 March 2023
- ^ Rintz, Janice (August 12, 2022). "Staff Sgt. Amanda Elsenboss Made History at the 2022 Civilian Marksmanship Program Match". Defence Visual Information Distribution Service. US Department of Defense. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
- ^ Avionics tech awarded President’s Hundred tab after shooting perfect score, by A1C Bryan Guthrie (99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs), dated 21 August 2018, last accessed 24 March 2023.
- ^ "Army Regulation 670–1, Uniform and Insignia Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia", Department of the Army, dated 26 January 2021, last accessed 24 March 2023.