CLASSICAL FENCING MASTER AT ARMS BADGE

During the revival of fencing in the late 1800s and early 1900s many of those active in the sport were serving or retired military or militia officers or noncommissioned officers.  They brought with them a broader interest in fencing with weapons not now considered to be fencing weapons, including the bayonet and the singlestick.  They wrote extensively about the use of these weapons, and competitions were held in the years prior to World War I in both.

Because the Classical Academy of Arms is dedicated to the preservation of fencing in the style of this period, we believe that proficiency in either is a part of the classical fencer's skill set.  To encourage this the Academy offers a Master at Arms Badge, conceived in the spirit of the role of military Masters at Arms and the Master of Arms Badge used by the Scout movement into the 1920s.  The Academy's award is designed to encourage experience and qualification in a range of weapons, and is available to professional members and to students in salles or clubs that use our 9 rank system.

REQUIREMENTS:

The award of the Master at Arms Badge requires that the individual:

(1)  Hold either a Classical Fencing Provost or Master certificate, or, if a classical fencer have either (a) met the requirements for Rank 7 in one weapon and Rank 5 in a second weapon, or (b) hold Rank 9 in either Sabre or Dueling Sword (epee).

(2)  Demonstrate competency of an equivalent level in either the single stick or the bayonet.

FORM OF AWARD:

The Master At Arms Badge is an embroidered badge, approximately 2 inches in diameter, worn above the rank or instructor patch on the lower sleeve.  The patch for professional members has a black background with black edging and with a white mask superimposed over white crossed foil and single stick with yellow letters CFMA.  The patch for classical fencers has a white background with white edging and with a black mask superimposed over black crossed foil and single stick with red letters CFMA.