During the American Civil War, prior to a formalized counterintelligence service, the Union Army created the Bureau of Military Information, the predecessor to Military Intelligence, and put famed detective Allan Pinkerton in charge of catching confederate spies and gathering intelligence. Pinkerton and his men often carried badges similar to these.

During World War I, agents of the newly created Corp of Intelligence Police (CIP) under the Military Intelligence Division (MID) carried this badge.

During the inter-war period, ACI agents within the U.S. were assigned to either Eastern, Western, and Southern Departments, and carried badges such as this one.

Immediately prior to World War II, the CIP had very few agents and carried this badge. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, CIP was renamed to the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) and rapidly expanded.

During World War II, many agents assigned to CIC detachments in the Pacific Theater carried a different version of the badge.

Primary badge carried by CIC Special Agents in World War II and into the Cold War.

Before the end of World War II, an Inspector General report led to a temporary merger of U.S. based CIC agents with the Military Police Command under the Security Intelligence Corps.

Badge carried by ACI Special Agents through much of the Cold War until 2011.

Current badge carried today by operational ACI Special Agents world-wide, regardless of assignment.