Official MALS-26 Airframes CDI Shoulder Patch - Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 Patriots Airframes Collateral Duty Inspector Embroidered Shoulder Patch, MCAS New River, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.Patriots precision, flight-line accountability, and the quiet authority of the CDI stamp — earned on the deck, not handed out.Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, known as the Patriots, has been the backbone of rotary-wing readiness at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina since its activation in 1952. Originally designated Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 26, the unit was redesignated MALS-26 in 1988 and consolidated all aviation logistics responsibilities under one command within Marine Aircraft Group 26 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron has provided intermediate-level maintenance, ordnance, and supply support for some of the most demanding aircraft in the Marine Corps inventory, including the CH-53E Super Stallion, MV-22B Osprey, and AH-1Z Viper, across deployments spanning Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Within that logistics framework, the Airframes Collateral Duty Inspector billet carries a specific weight. A CDI is a resident expert in aviation maintenance, qualified to inspect and sign off on other Marines' work before any aircraft is certified safe to fly. The designation represents a mark of subject matter expertise and a direct extension of the Commanding Officer's quality assurance authority on the production deck. This shoulder patch identifies the Marines who hold that standard inside MALS-26's Airframes division, making it a meaningful piece of unit identity for anyone who wore the qualification.Perfect For: MALS-26 veterans and active-duty Patriots, Airframes CDI holders, MAG-26 and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing collectors, MCAS New River alumni, aviation logistics maintainers, quality assurance personnel, shadow box builders, reunion displays, deployment keepsakes, and anyone preserving the story of Marine Corps intermediate-level maintenance and the flight-line accountability that keeps rotary-wing squadrons mission capable. It also makes a strong tribute gift for families who want to honor a Marine's technical expertise and the quiet, essential work that happens before every aircraft leaves the deck.Patriots craftsmanship, stitched for the inspectors who keep the aircraft flying and the mission moving.
