Junior Military Aviator badge, 1917–1919. Initially badges were embroidered and Junior Military Aviator and Reserve Military Aviator badges had only one wing to the wearer's left. The Air Service members of the Bolling Mission encountered credibility problems from wearing their single-winged JMA/RMA badges in Europe, where the design signified "observer" status for the wearer rather than "pilot." Largely through their efforts, the regulation was changed on 27 October 1917 and a two-wing badge was authorized for JMA and RMA as well as the Military Aviator rating, which was denoted by having a star added.[14]
The Military Aviator badge was superseded on 15 August 1917 by authorization of a new embroidered "wings" badge,[14] the first sketches of which are attributed to Arnold. A new rating, Reserve Military Aviator, was authorized on 3 June 1917 to rate pilots during World War I, with all ranks and grades being temporary.[n 8] The Aviation Act of 24 July 1917 authorized those holding a pre-war JMA rating to advance to MA rating by the three-year rule, and along with RMA holders, by "distinguished service."[12][13] A wartime Reserve Military Aeronaut rating for balloon pilots was also created,[n 9] as was a rating of Observer for both airplanes and balloons, bringing the total number of aeronautical ratings to seven.[13][15]
After the creation by executive order in 1918 of the Army Air Service, a standard wings-and-shield design for the rating badge, still in use today, was created by sculptor Herbert S. Adams of the United States Commission of Fine Arts and approved on 25 January 1919.[14][16] Army regulations regarding ratings underwent a major revision by the Director of Air Service on 16 October 1919, when the RMA rating was officially changed to Airplane Pilot (although usage of the RMA terminology continued until 1920), all observers were termed Aerial Observer, and new ratings of Enlisted Pilot,[n 10]Airship Pilot, Aerial Gunner, and Aerial Bomber were created. Among the new ratings, a 50% aviation increase was authorized for the enlisted pilot and 25% for all the others. The new ratings, however, proved to be only a demobilization expedient and lasted less than nine months.[17][n 11]
In 1920, when the Air Service was made a statutory arm of the line, the National Defense Act of 1920 also ended the differentials in flight pay and standardized it at 50%. The policy of awarding rated officers a temporary advancement in grade was also terminated. To qualify for command of a unit, an officer was required by law to be rated. The existing ratings were reduced to four on 10 August 1920,[n 12] combining the ratings of Reserve Military Aviator/Airplane Pilot, Junior Military Aviator, and Military Aviator into the rating of Airplane Pilot and Military Aeronaut and Balloon Observer into the rating of Balloon Observer, renaming the rating of Aerial Observer as Airplane Observer, and continuing the rating of Airship Pilot. All those already holding the old ratings qualified automatically for the new.[18][19][n 13] In 1921 the Air Service authorized the wearing of 3.125-inch ratings badges made of oxidized silver in lieu of embroidered badges.[13]
In 1921 the Air Service also revised its pilot training program, adopting the "A Plan", which divided pilot ratings between Junior Airplane Pilot (completion of primary training, normally an enlisted rating) and Airplane Pilot (completion of advanced training).[20][n 14] The bulk of new pilots were acquired from the enlisted classification of "flying cadet", with achievement of a JAP rating making a cadet eligible for advanced pilot training and commissioning. However, some older Air Service officers without flying experience, but requiring a rating to remain in the Air Service, acquired a JAP rating, including Chief of Air Service Maj. Gen. Mason Patrick.
In 1924 the Tenth Annual Report of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, submitted by President Calvin Coolidge to the Congress, reported:
The Air Service has 845 officers with rating as airplane pilots, airplane observers, airship pilots, airship observers, or balloon observers. In addition about 51 enlisted men have the rating of airplane pilot, junior airplane pilot, or airship pilot.[21]
