Career & Specialist Patch Identification Guide

Heer Career & Specialist Patches

Heer NCO and Enlisted Specialist patches were worn on the left lower sleeve. Badges were edged with twisted cord for NCOs. Patch regulations formally adopted in 1935.

Medical Orderly	Farrier	Veterinary	Ordnance NCO	Artificer NCO
Motor Transport Specialist	Radio Operator	Pigeonmaster - Postmaster	Fortification Engineer	Fortification Construction
Fortification Maintenance	Administrative Personnel	Paymaster	Saddler	Regimental Saddler
Motor Mechanic	Signals Equipment Mechanic	Supply - Storeskeeper	Clothing Stores	Signals Personnel (Artillery) - arrow is in Waffenfarbe of unit assigned to.
Gas Defense	Proficiency Badge - Motor Boat Pilot	Proficiency Badge - Anti-tank Gunner (small caliber)	Proficiency Badge - Anti-tank Gunner (large caliber)	Proficiency Badge - Artillery Gunner
Proficiency Badge - Smoke Troop

Luftwaffe Career & Specialist Patches

Luftwaffe NCO and Enlisted Specialist patches were worn on the left lower sleeve. Badges were edged with silver twisted cord for NCOs and gold twisted cord for distinguished Service. Patch regulations introduced in 1935 with additional patches added in 1942

Flying Personnel	Technical Personnel	AntiAircraft Artillery
Fleet Air Arm	Rangefinder Specialist - 1942	Sound Location Specialist - 1942

Administration Personnel	Mechanized Transport Equipment Specialist	Equipment Branch - Aircraft	Equipment Branch - Searchlight	Equipment Branch - Signals
Qualified Telephonist	Qualified Telegraphist (NCO)	Qualified Radio Operator (NCO)	Directional Radio Operator	Listening Equipment Operator
Signals Personnel	Warrent Officer Artificer	Ordnance - Flying Branch	Ordnance - Flak and Ground Units	Medical Orderly
Transport Driver (Distinguished Service)	Light Aerial Bomb Armorer	Heavy Aerial Bomb Armorer	Flak Gunner	Technical Flight School Graduate
Aircraft Radio Mechanic	Motor Transport Specialist	Air Raid Warning Personnel	Technical Sargent	Student NCO
Master Radioman	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Kriegsmarine Career and Specialist patches

Kriegsmarine NCO and Enlisted Career and Specialist patches could both be worn on the left upper sleeve. After completing Basic Training, an individual was assigned to one of 20 careers for further training. The career patch was worn on the left sleeve above the rank insignia. The enlisted career emblem was yellow on dark blue, yellow on field green, or blue on white depending on the uniform. Career patches for Petty Officers used the same color scheme but the career emblem was superimposed on an anchor. Petty Officers coupld wear a gilded metal insignia on the formal uniform instead of the patch. The career patch was available combined with the rank insignia. Speciality training was available in 26 subject areas. The specialist patch was worn on the left sleeve below the rank insignia. The patch was red on dark blue, red on field green, or red on white depending on the uniform. Chevrons on the patch indicated the level of training completed. The final patch is the Commander-in-Chief Staff Patch. It is worn onthe left sleeve above all other patches. Patch regulations formally adopted in 1935 and appended in 1940.

Career patch examples

Enlisted Career Patch	Enlisted Career and Rank Patch	Petty Officer Career Patch	Petty Officer Career Patch - Gilded Metal	Senior Petty Officer Career Patch
Enlisted Career Patch	Enlisted Career and Rank Patch	Petty Officer Career Patch	Senior Petty Officer Career Patch	Commander-in-Chief Staff Patch

Enlisted career patches for dark blue uniform

Deck Rating	Signals	Teletypist	Carpenter	Ordnance Mechanic
Torpedo Machanic	Blocking Weapons Mechanic	Administration	Clerical	Medical
Musician	Engine Mechanic	Radio Operator	Coastal Artillery	Motor Transport
Aircraft Spottor	Ordnance Artificer	Helmsman	Coxswain

Petty Office career patches for dark blue uniform

Deck Rating	Signals	Teletypist	Carpenter	Ordnance Mechanic
Torpedo Machanic	Blocking Weapons Mechanic	Administration	Clerical	Medical
Musician	Engine Mechanic	Radio Operator	Coastal Artillery	Motor Transport
Aircraft Spottor	Ordnance Artificer	Navagating Helmsman	Coxswain	Reserve Service

Enlisted career patches for white uniform

Deck Rating	Signals	Teletypist	Carpenter	Ordnance Mechanic
Torpedo Machanic	Blocking Weapons Mechanic	Administration	Clerical	Medical
Musician	Engine Mechanic	Radio Operator	Coastal Artillery	Motor Transport
Aircraft Spottor	Ordnance Artificer	Helmsman	Coxswain

Petty Office career patches for white uniform

Deck Rating	Signals	Teletypist	Carpenter	Ordnance Mechanic
Torpedo Machanic	Blocking Weapons Mechanic	Administration	Clerical	Medical
Musician	Engine Mechanic	Radio Operator	Coastal Artillery	Motor Transport
Aircraft Spottor	Ordnance Artificer	Navagating Helmsman	Coxswain	Reserve Service

Specialty patches for dark blue uniform

Small Caliber Gunlayer	Anti-Aircraft Gunlsyer	Gunlayer - Single Gun	Gunlayer - Turret	Coastal Artillery Gunlayer
Coastal Artillery Anti-Aircraft Gunlayer	Artillery Fire Control - pre-1940	Flak Fire Control - pre-1940	Coastal Artillery Fire Control - pre-1940	Turret Fire Control - pre-1940
Fire Control 1940-1945	Range Finder Specialist	Anti-Aircraft Range Finder Specialist	Torpedo Coxswain	Minelaying/Boom Coxswain
Band Member	Surveying Specialist	Diver	Aircraft Sound Locator - pre-1940	Aircraft Sound Locator - 1940-1945
Hydrophone Specialist - pre-1940	Hydrophone Specialist - 1940-1945	Electrical Artificater	Motor Engineer	Physical Instructor
Motor Transport Driver

Specialty patches for white uniform

Small Caliber Gunlayer	Anti-Aircraft Gunlsyer	Gunlayer - Single Gun	Gunlayer - Turret	Coastal Artillery Gunlayer
Coastal Artillery Anti-Aircraft Gunlayer	Fire Control 1940-1945	Range Finder Specialist	Anti-Aircraft Range Finder Specialist	Torpedo Coxswain
Minelaying/Boom Coxswain	Band Member	Surveying Specialist	Diver	Aircraft Sound Locator - pre-1940
Aircraft Sound Locator - 1940-1945	Hydrophone Specialist - pre-1940	Hydrophone Specialist - 1940-1945	Electrical Artificater	Motor Engineer
Physical Instructor	Motor Transport Driver