Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist insignia

The Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist (EAWS) insignia is a military badge of the United States Navy which was created in March 1980.

The basic prerequisite for the EAWS insignia is that a service member be assigned in a sea-duty status to a deployable naval aviation unit or aviation-capable ship.

However, due to the time involved in the qualification procedure, most service members obtain at least a Petty Officer Third Class rating before earning the EAWS insignia.

The second is a platform-specific PQS which consists of several training tasks and other practical experience on-the-job exercises relevant to the particular aviation community the sailor is currently serving in, for example an F/A-18 squadron or an aircraft carrier (CVN).

The Sailor is then authorized to add the Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist designator (AW) after his or her rate.

Those failing to obtain the insignia may be ineligible for advancement to Petty Officer First Class, reenlistment in their current rate or may be restricted to shore assignments.