The badges' origins lie in the cloth patch decoration worn by United States Navy divers on the upper-portion of the enlisted service uniform's left sleeve during the first part of World War II, when the rating insignia was worn on the right sleeve.

The United States Space Force does not issue a unique diver insignia and most of its personnel are not afforded the opportunity to earn such badges from sister services (except via prior service), although the insignia are authorized for wear on Space Force uniforms.

[3] United States naval diver insignias are awarded, per degree of qualification, to sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen.

The Navy eliminated the Scuba Diver Officer insignia in the 1990s, but it remains in service within the Coast Guard.

The silver-colored insignia features an old-fashioned diving mask and open-circuit breathing apparatus.

Like the Navy's surface, submarine, and aviation enlisted specialties, dive-qualified enlisted personnel place a term after the sailor's rating; for example, if Petty Officer Second-Class Jones is dive-qualified, he is referred to, in writing, as PO2 (DV) Jones.

The new design includes sharks, symbolizing speed, stealth, and lethal efficiency, and two Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knives in saltire, representing the heritage of OSS operational swimmers during World War II.

The Army Combat Diver Qualification Course and Army Combat Diving Supervisors Course are taught by Company C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School, Naval Air Station Key West.