President's Hundred Tab

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 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. The tab is 4 1⁄4 inches (11 cm) long and 5⁄8 inch (1.6 cm) high, with the word "PRESIDENT'S HUNDRED" centered in 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) tall letters. The Army's and Air Force's miniature metal replica of the tab is a full-color (yellow with green letters) variant of the tab once authorized for wear on the old Army Green Service Uniform and is about 2 inches (5.1 cm) in width. The brassard is a 3 1⁄2 inches (8.9 cm) long by 1 inch (2.5 cm) high curved bronze metallic arm patch with an enameled representation of the Flag of the President of the United States flanked by the Seal of the President of the United States to the left and the seal of the CMP to the right. At the top of the brassard are the raised words “PRESIDENT’S” to the left and “HUNDRED” to the right.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

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
TypeTab
Awarded forAwarded to the 100 top-scoring military and civilian shooters in the President's Pistol and President's Rifle Matches.
Presented byCivilian Marksmanship Program
StatusCurrently awarded
Last awardedOngoing
RelatedU.S. Marksmanship Competition Badges

History

The National Rifle Association's (NRA) President's Match was instituted at the NRA matches of 1878, as the American Military Rifle Championship Match. It was patterned after an event for British Volunteers called The Queen's Match, a competition started by Queen Victoria and initiated by the National Rifle Association of Great Britain in 1860, in order to increase the ability of Britain's marksmen following the Crimean War.[1][5][10]

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][5]

The tradition of making a letter from the President of the United States the first prize began in 1904 when President Theodore Roosevelt, at the conclusion of the President's Match, 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][5]

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 of importance.[1][5]

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][5]

On 27 May 1958, the NRA requested the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel's 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 of high level interest and 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][5][10]

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 manages and awards the President's Hundred Tab/Brassard to the top 100 shooters in those matches.[5]

In September 2008, the Department of the Army authorized a miniature metal tab to be worn on the new Army Service Uniform. This is a scaled-down replica of the President's Hundred full-color embroidered tab.[1][7]

In January 2014, the Department of the Air Force, via an update to Air Force Instruction 36–2903, authorized the wear of the President's Hundred Tab on the Airman Battle Uniform (olive drab version) and the Air Force service uniform (miniature full color replica) through the authorization for Airmen to wear any military badge they have earned given it is worn within uniform regulations.[6][7][11] [12]

Other tabs

The 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.[2]

See also

References
  1. President's Hundred Tab Archived 2014-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, The Institute of Heraldry, Uniformed Services~Army, Tabs, last accessed 7 November 2014
  2. U.S. Army Regulation 670-1: Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Official Department of the Army Publications and Forms, dated 3 February 05, last accessed 11 November 11
  3. U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations: Chapter 5, Section 3 Identification Badges/Awards/Insignia, Navy Personnel Command, last accessed 11 November 11
  4. U.S. Coast Guard Uniform Regulations COMDTINST M1020.6F, Commandant United States Coast Guard, dated February 09, last accessed 11 November 11
  5. A Short History of the President's Match and the President's Hundred, by Hap Rocketto, dated 19 March 08, last accessed 4 January 20151
  6. Air Force Shooting - President's Hundred Competition, by Travis Jordan, last accessed 18 July 2015
  7. National Guard Marksmanship Training Center, All Guard Pistol Team (Photo) Archived 2015-11-30 at the Wayback Machine, by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center, dated 14 July 2015, last accessed 18 July 2015
  8. Photograph of Petty Officer 1st Class Danny Hedner (USN) (center) wearing the President's Hundred Brassard on his Service Uniform, U.S. Navy Marksmanship Team photo, dated 14 August 2013, last accessed 18 January 2014
  9. Photograph of AMTC Wes Fleming (USCG) wearing the President's Hundred Tab on his Operational Dress Uniform, U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs, last accessed 18 January 2014
  10. U.S. Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, Official Department of the Army Publications and Forms, dated 11 December 06, revised 15 September 11, last accessed 4 October 11
  11. AF uniform policy update: welcome back morale t-shirts, badges and limitless athletic shoes, by Staff Sgt. David Salanitri, Air Force Public Affairs Agency, published 20 January 2014, last accessed 18 July 2015
  12. U.S. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, Department of the Air Force, dated 28 May 2015, last accessed 18 July 2015
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