We offer two versions of the pin-on metal E-4 Specialist insignia. The nonsubdued insignia is an anodized, 22K gold-plated rendering of the Specialist insignia featuring an eagle device that’s worn on the collars of the Army Service Uniform (ASU) shirt, the Black Windbreaker, the Black All-Weather Coat, and Medical Assistant Smock.
On these garments, the insignia is worn one inch from each collar point and oriented so that its centerline bisects the collar points. It's also worn centered a quarter-inch above the nameplate on the Garrison Culinary Smock and centered on the shoulder loops of the Heritage Green Windbreaker.
The nonsubdued insignia is black and serves as headgear insignia on the Patrol Cap and Sun Hat (boonie) worn with the Army Combat Uniform, where it is centered both vertically and horizontally (see
Figure 21-14, DA PAM 670-1). It may also be worn on the liner or camouflage cover on the Army Combat Uniform helmet.
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The Specialist designation was introduced in 1955 with the announcement of a new pay grade structure for the Army’s seven enlisted grades. Specialist 3rd Class was in the E-4 grade, 2nd Class was E-5, 1st E-6, and Master Specialists were E-7—the same grade as Master Sergeant. With the overhaul of the enlisted grade system across all services adding the grades of E-8 and E-9, the number of Specialist grades was increased in proportion to the changes, with the result that enlisted personnel not serving as NonCommissioned Officers (NCOs) could now advance from Specialist 4 (E-4) to Specialist 9 (E-9).
More Items for E-4 Specialists
All these Specialist grades employed the same insignia design of a solid field represent the shape of inverted chevron capped with a hemisphere and a solid field emblazoned with the eagle device. Higher grades were represented by the addition of arcs and, at the highest levels, both arcs and chevrons.
Over the years, however, the Army began to reduce the number of Specialist grades and, of course, their insignia. The first change came with the discontinuation of the Specialist 8 and 9 grades in 1965; thirteen years later the grade of Specialist 7 was abolished, and in 1985 Specialist 6 and 5 were also discontinued.
Today, the only Specialist insignia is for the E-4 grade, and its rank insignia is the only one worn by enlisted personnel that does not feature either an arc (“rocker”) or a chevron.