Is there any way for a Prior service Marine to wear the 3rd MAW patch for ACUs?

Question

Served in the Marines (MWSS - 374) from 2005-2009, in 2006 I deployed to Iraq. in 2009 I left Marine Service and did about 6 months of Marine Active Ready Reserves, then since no other service would take me back in to active duty, the Army let me in. I've been trying to figure this out for a long time, because there are people who wear them who were prior service Marines and NCOs none-the-less, and told me I could... then there are those who tell me I can't wear it... the tug of war goes on. I was able to get my Marine Deployment time and Awards added to my Army ERB, so I feel strange not having a combat patch to back it up, especially in Dress uniform... the army has Stripes for Deployment Time, and would be inconsistent with the lack of a Deployment Patch.

What do I do, and is there a Work Around to letting me wear a patch and not get in trouble?

Answer 1

You will have to submit a request for records review..through the S-1/G-1 channels to determine the appropriate and authorized SSI-FWS for you to wear. Once authorized they will cut a set of ordswers for the appropriate patch.



Most likely you will get authorized the CENTCOM patch...which is what usually happens



My current Medical NCO was a FMF Corpsman with the 1st MARDIV in Iraq and wears the CENTCOM SSI-FWS patch



Like I said..submit a request through the S-1 channels for a records review...the regs/ALARACTS on this are convoluted



If you have a CAR you can "trade" it in for a CAB using the same process

Answer 2

In my old platoon we had three PS Marines.



One wore the 1MARDIV patch. The other wore the 2nd MARDIV patch. We also had a mechanic that wore the 3MAW patch. So yes as long as you get your orders saying you were there into the system, you can wear it. You will have to keep answering the question though as to WHY you are wearing it. There is only one unit in the Army that I am aware of that is allowed to wear a Marine deployment patch. A lot of a*holes will try to say you can't wear it unless you were in that unit. I saw it a lot with my friends.

Answer 3

If you have orders for them, you can wear them. I had an NCO who claimed I could not wear my reserve metals, he was wrong. I had orders for them and than they tried to tell me that I could not wear my reserved earned service stripes, once again, he was wrong.

Answer 4

AR 670-1