The Supply and Fuels occupational badge is worn by Airmen serving in two Career Fields within in the Logistics Career Group: Materiel Management (Air Force Specialty Code 2S0X1) and Fuels (2F0X1). Currently, no officers wear the Supply and Fuels badge, but during the 1990s it was awarded to officers in AFSC 23 Supply.
Although Fuel specialists work a great deal with petroleum and petroleum-based propellants and fuels, they also handle cryogenic materials, missile propellants (solid and liquid), and different types of alternative fuels. Their responsibilities begin with the requisitioning and storage of fuels (including accounting and receiving), and continue with distribution, dispensing, and disposal of hazardous materials, at all times taking steps to safeguard the environment and conserve energy whenever possible.
It goes without saying that the types of fuels these specialist work with have the potential to cause extreme damage, so enlistees seeking to serve in this specialty must pass a NACLC, or National Agency Check with Local Agency Check and Credit. The National Agency Check includes searches of the Office of Personnel Management’s SII (Security/Suitability Investigations Index), the Defense Clearaance and Investigations Index, and the FBI’s Identification Division (other indices may be searched if necessary). Those who pass the NACLC will attend a month-long Fuels Apprentice Course at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas; competing this successfully leads to the awarding of the basic Supply and Fuels Badge.
Materiel Management specialists track, store, and distribute materiel, operating both physical warehouses as well as databases that track the identification, acquisition, distribution, and usage of materiel; at advanced levels they design, develop, and operate these materiel management systems. They work closely with commanders to guarantee that all units have access to necessary spare parts and equipment and help them make projections as to future needs in those areas. Initial training for Materiel Management specialists is a five-week course held at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, with graduates receiving the basic Supply and Fuels badge.
Senior- and Master-level Supply and Fuel badges are awarded based upon the guidelines spelled out in Air Force Instruction 36-203, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel. According to Air Force records, the average length of time it takes for a Fuels specialist to earn the Senior badge is just over five years, with Material Management specialists taking between seven and eight years fulfill the Senior-level requirements.