Duane Thomas Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Just a vagrant thought, but it would be really cool if IDPA had classification badges, like the military. This idea was sparked, years ago, when I attended two classes taught by John Farman. During those classes, John ran people through a specific shooting drill that, all in one string, tested every basic gun handling skill he thought a shooter needed to possess. There were three different badges, and which badge you could get/wear depended on how well you executed the shooting drill. The badges were identical except for color. A white badge meant you hadn't passed the drill at all, you just completed the course. No one wanted a white badge, naturally. If you passed the drill at the Student level, you could have a red badge. If you passed the drill at the Instructor level, you could have a gold badge - kind of like a gold star, I always thought. John was quick to point out that possessing this badge did not, in fact, mean you were an instructor; it just meant that on that particular day you demonstrated the skill level he would want one of his instructors to have. I always thought those pins were very shrewd of John Farman. People might not work hard to improve their skill level just because it might one day save their life....but they'll just about kill themselves for those little pins. Out of the two classes I attended, only a very few students earned red badges, and only one earned the gold. For IDPA, since the classifications are based on the old NRA rankings, which were in turn based on military marksmanship ratings, it might be fun to base IDPA pins on Army qualification badges (with a few differences, which I'll get to in a moment). In the Army the low-ranking Marksmanship badge is a simple shield, shaped like the German Iron Cross. Sharpshooter is the same size Iron Cross with a bull's-eye in the center. Finally, Expert is a smaller Iron Cross with bull's-eye, surrounded by a wreath. There is no Master rating in Army marksmanship standards. This is just my own esthetic sense at work, but I always found it silly that as you got better the Army added more geegaws and gimcracks to your qual badge. It always seemed to me the gaudy, complicated crap should be awarded at the lower skill levels, and as you improved, the badges should become cleaner and less cluttered, until at the highest levels you're left with elegant simplicity. I think that unadorned Iron Cross, though it's the lowest qualification badge, looks great, while the flashy Expert badge never really did too much for me. In IDPA, I'd suggest making the pretentious shield/bull's-eye/wreath the Marksman badge, Sharpshooter the shield/bull's-eye, and Expert the simple Iron Cross. Make all three badges, Marksman/Sharpshooter/Expert, blue. I'd have the Master badge be exactly the same as the Expert pin, that unadorned Iron Cross, but a different color: red. Shooters will only be authorized to wear one badge at a time, which will reflect their highest classification ever attained in any division. I'd also suggest adding a fifth badge for 5-Gun Master, to be worn only by shooters, natch, who can turn in Master classifications in all five divisions. Again, make this the same badge as Expert/Master, but a different color: white. Thus as you get higher and higher in your skill level in Defensive Pistol shooting, the color of the badge gets lighter and purer. The breakdown of classification badges for Defensive Pistol shooting might look like this, from lowest to highest: Marksman - Blue shield/bull's-eye/wreath. Sharpshooter - Blue shield/bull's-eye. Expert - Blue shield. Master - Red shield. 5-Gun Master - White shield. Anyway, there you have my vagrant thoughts on the matter. You can take 'em or leave 'em for what they're worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Round_Gun_Shooter Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) Nice thought, but just something else to have to pay for. I think the current classification card works well and costs only the price of membership but I am cheap anyway ETA-I also have a bunch of my old PD Marksmanship badges, They collect dust too Edited February 19, 2009 by Round_Gun_Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 20, 2009 Author Share Posted February 20, 2009 I'm thinking you wouldn't have to pay for them. Only those of us, um, I mean those people who possess the Boy Scout Merit Badge Collector gene would need to fork over for the classification badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I'm thinking you wouldn't have to pay for them. Only those of us, um, I mean those people who possess the Boy Scout Merit Badge Collector gene would need to fork over for the classification badge. Everyone at the match Should hopefully be able to tell your classification by your standing at the end of the match, pin or not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasOPM Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 No more pins for this kid- thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigdawg Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) I'll bite and say it first: Badges we don't need no stinkin' badges.... That being just a joke. It wouldnt matter to me either way but back when I use to shoot NRA silhouette you could get hat pins in the shap of each of the animals with the number in a row you shot. Each of the different guns you would shoot had a different color. Then when you got 10 in a row for each animal you could get a grand slam pin. I would suggest a large pin of your highest classification and then rockers for each of the other guns in different colors with markers for each classification. Edited February 20, 2009 by Pigdawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filishooter Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Growing up in the Martial Arts and practicing in systems that had belt rankings and systems that had no rankings (but everyone knew what skill level you were at based on fighting ability it was "understood" who the top dog was), I prefer NO rankings. In the system with rankings, in addition to belts and stripes, you also had patches for reaching certain goals. it just got the point to where to student population got so involved in chasing rank and the little patches that I wondered if anyone kept sight of why they were training in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boats Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 They are popular in other shooting sports, Silhouette it's the In a row pins. Our club matches many guys shoot exclusively for 5 or 10 straight. One guy figured out he shot best 2nd or 3rd bank and always squaded to favor the "critter" he was working on. I got into that myself some years ago looking for 10 straights. It became an obsession all my training was focused on the one I never got, even thought about changing rifles to suit the Rams. Thinking back it was not a bad thing to have a goal that was difficult and something to focus on. I may even dust off the rifle this summer and give it another go, who knows ? Boats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pittbug Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Having no military or boyscout background, I think I'd prefer a certificate to hang in my man cave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Murphy Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 It's been done before, sort of. TDSA had a color system on their shirts. IIRC red was expert, gold was master and blue was LE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 21, 2009 Author Share Posted February 21, 2009 I would suggest a large pin of your highest classification and then rockers for each of the other guns in different colors with markers for each classification. I had considered that. Like what the Army does: you've got the qual badge and then "Pistol", "Rifle", etc. rockers to hang off them. Maybe "CDP", "ESP", etc. for IDPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 21, 2009 Author Share Posted February 21, 2009 While "It's the skill, not the badge" is a nice ideal, and I'll even agree with that, the point is that a whole lot of people would improve their skill levels in pursuit of the badges - way more than do now. IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I think the Master badge should be black. That way it will match my Ninja outfit when I am at the mall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Never! The humanitarian thing to do is to wear a white IDPA 5-gun Master badge that stands out starkly against your black ninja outfit. That way, as soon as the opponent sees it they will flee in terror, and you won't have to hurt anyone. Ya gots ta THINK about these things. (points wisely at forehead) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pittbug Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Never! The humanitarian thing to do is to wear a white IDPA 5-gun Master badge that stands out starkly against your black ninja outfit. That way, as soon as the opponent sees it they will flee in terror, and you won't have to hurt anyone. Ya gots ta THINK about these things. (points wisely at forehead) It's like a finger pointing to the moon. Don't look at the finger, else you'll miss all that heavenly glory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD45 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Doesn't seem like a bad idea. But you must promise to wear it to all USPSA matches . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Taylor Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I think the Master badge should be black. That way it will match my Ninja outfit when I am at the mall. Attaboy, Sensei!!!! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I just don't want to be accused of being a sand-badger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 It's like a finger pointing to the moon. Don't look at the finger, else you'll miss all that heavenly glory. Exactly!! I think.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 But you must promise to wear it to all USPSA matches. But of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punkin Chunker Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Wasn't that in the movie "Office Space", where employees at some trend-pub had to wear a certain number of flash pieces on their uniform? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhp147 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I remember reading in Jim Cirillo's book about how, after each Stake-Out Team qualification, he would post a list of shooters, highest to lowest score. Then, he'd draw a red line half way up the list. He said he was amazed how guys would fight to make sure they didn't fall below the red line. I think badges and things like that drive some people to some extent. I don't know if I'd wear a badge (unfortunately, my shooting speaks for itself...) but I do draw my own imaginary red line at matches. Pardon the drift, but the "what drives a shooter" seems to mesh in with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirveyr Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 While "It's the skill, not the badge" is a nice ideal, and I'll even agree with that, the point is that a whole lot of people would improve their skill levels in pursuit of the badges - way more than do now. IMHO. I agree with you Duane. I've noticed that most of the newer and lower classified shooters are extremely externally motivated. You should hear the uproar if we forget to send out ribbons after the monthly match. Once they reach a certain level or have "figured out" the sport of IDPA, their motivation become internal...and then they leave to go shoot USPSA forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calmwater Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Wasn't that in the movie "Office Space", where employees at some trend-pub had to wear a certain number of flash pieces on their uniform? "Flair". The waitress got in trouble for only having the minimum number of pieces of "flair". Great movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Freeman Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 "Flair". The waitress got in trouble for only having the minimum number of pieces of "flair". Great movie. That was no waitress, that is my wife Jen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now