Graduates of the Army Mountain Warfare School’s opening class of 2026 became the first to be pinned with the newly redesigned Army Mountaineering Badge.

The new badge replaces the iconic Ram’s Head Device established in 1983 when the Vermont National Guard school was stood up. The device was authorized for wear only by National Guard graduates.

With the establishment in March 2025 of the new Army Mountaineering Badge, soldiers from across the Regular Army, Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve who graduate the notoriously difficult school are now authorized to wear the badge on their uniforms.

During a Jan. 23 graduation ceremony at the Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vermont, 58 graduates of the school’s basic and advanced courses were pinned with the new badge. Of those graduates, about 40% were active-duty soldiers, according to Maj. Aaron Harkness, spokesman for the school.

The Army Mountain Warfare School serves as the U.S. Army Infantry School’s national schoolhouse and subject-matter expert in mountaineering training and education. The school has trained tens of thousands of students since its activation, from all military branches and components, as well as numerous civilian and foreign agencies.

At the ceremony, retired Col. Dave Freeman, the first commander of the Army Mountain Warfare School, pinned the first device on the honor graduate. Joining him at the ceremony was Herbert Schneider, great-grandson of Hannes Schneider, who played a critical role in training the 10th Mountain Division during World War II and is widely recognized as a foundational figure in modern military ski and mountain operations.