What, if any, documentation is required to wear a combat patch in the US Army?

Question

I arrived at a new unit and am curious of how one particular soldier can wear 4 combat patches. This soldier doesn't wear the patch of his unit EVER, only the "cool guy" ones. ( 101st, 82nd, 10th MTN, and SF). He says he worked with all these units during a one year deployment, and right-seated 2 guys from the 82nd before he left. This just sounds wrong to me. I looked up the reg, but it's vague at best and says that if you're attached or augmented, cross-leveled (?) or Op Con to a unit that you CAN wear the patch of that said unit.

Answer 1

Combat Patch Rules

Jul 3 2007



The Army has changed its policy on the wear of combat patches as a result of the way Soldiers and their units now deploy.



Since 1945 the intent behind the wear of the combat patch, known as the "shoulder sleeve insignia-former wartime service," was to recognize Soldiers' participation in combat operations. However, this only applied to Soldiers who were serving with such large echelon deployed units as separate brigades, divisions, corps, Army commands or higher.



"Soldiers deploy differently now, at smaller echelon levels such as companies, battalions, combat brigade teams and as individual augmentees in support of larger echelon units," said Sgt. Maj. Katrina Easley, branch chief for uniform policy at Army G-1. "At those levels they weren't authorized to wear their unit patch as a combat patch."



Once Soldiers report to their first units, they wear their command's patch on their left sleeves. When deployed to a designated combat zone, Soldiers may also wear the company-level or higher patch that they serve with on their right sleeves.



In the past, confusion resulted over which combat patch should be worn by Soldiers who were cross-leveled, assigned, attached or serving as augmentees to deployed units. This also affected Soldiers under temporary duty orders in a combat zone.



The new guidance states that when echelons below company level deploy, Soldiers in those units may now wear the combat patch of the lowest-echelon command they deploy with, as long as it's at company level or higher.



The new implementing instructions to Army Regulation 670-1 became effective March 28 and are not retroactive.



As before, Soldiers who have earned multiple combat patches may choose which patch to wear. Soldiers may also elect not to wear a combat patch.

Answer 2

Combat Patch Authorization

Answer 3

No and yes. Most accoutrements are authorized and not required. I took crap because I didn't wear my ribbons on my class Bs. Most were just PCS awards and almost meaningless to me. On the other hand, the general rule with regulations is that commanders "can add but not take away". I would say that adding the requirement to wear a combat patch as that unit's uniform is completely within his rights as a commander. To give you an analogy, when passing an superior officer, enlisted and those junior to the officer are required to salute and give the greeting of the day. Most battalions and some divisions have mottos/responses like the 82d "All the Way" with the response being "airborne!". Not in a reg anywhere but that is the defacto greeting of the day.

Answer 4

Well instead of attacking the law (regs) on this one I would just attack the facts. I may be wrong, but this is definately worth looking into to debunk him: when at any point during OIF/OEF was the 101st, 82nd, and 10th Mountain in the same country? I know these units have all been to Iraq, but never all 3 divisions at the same time?



If this guy isn't at least an E-7 I would call his bluff. What's his MOS? I feel like if I was SF I would let that patch weight down my right shoulder all day everyday. That's just me.



EDIT: By divisions I meant brigade combat teams....i.e. The 82nd, 101st, and 10th MTN all did not have BCTs in Iraq at the same time....or maybe they did. I don't know. On paper I don't have to cut my hair until the bangs are about to hit my eyelids so long as I keep the hair near my ears trimmed and and hair on the back of my neck away from my collar. I'm still a %$^bag if I don't cut my hair even know im IAW with the regs!

Answer 5

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RE:

What, if any, documentation is required to wear a combat patch in the US Army?

I arrived at a new unit and am curious of how one particular soldier can wear 4 combat patches. This soldier doesn't wear the patch of his unit EVER, only the "cool guy" ones. ( 101st, 82nd, 10th MTN, and SF). He says he worked with all these units during a one year deployment, and...

Answer 6

I hate to say it, but anything is possible. I've been deployed before and 'can' wear numerous combat patches because of the different commands I fell under. While I choose the one I was assigned to, it does not limit my options. I am currently in Iraq, been here since January and have already been authorized, on paper, to wear 5 different patches. It all depends on the command he falls under. The whole division does not have to be present in country to qualify for their patch.



Best of Luck,

Answer 7

All four of those units currenty in iraq, and if you MOS has you moving a lot you can get the patches

Answer 8

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If you are in the military, they can require you to wear whatever they want. You are government property. Too bad.

Answer 9

He never wears his units patch? How is that even possible? A Soldier is required by AR 670-1 to wear his units SSI on their left sleeve of their ACU's at all times. Are you sure that he isn't wearing his current unit on his left sleeve like he's supposed to be doing and he's wearing his chosen combat patch on his right sleeve? It sounds like he's playing the change it out every couple days game. My DH had a guy like this one (wearing combat patches that are questionable) at 16st CAV until day he got pissed off because the guy was mouthing off and he called him on it in front of everyone. He wasn't even supposed to be wearing one at all. He was claiming 8th ID and hadn't ever left the ground in Germany. The only reason my DH caught it was because he had gone with that group at that time and knew which units had and hadn't gone.



You do know that he can choose which SSI-FWTS he wants to wear and can change them at anytime which means he can play this game of his. It does NOT have to be the unit he is currently with.



you said the reg wasn't very clear but Actually AR 670-1 is pretty clear about which patches he can and can't have. He needs to look at his orders and he also needs to find out if his unit has it's own SSI or not. (the one he was there with)





Here is the AR and what it states:

Appendix F

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia–Former Wartime Service (SSI–FWTS)

F–1. Applicability.

This guidance applies to soldiers of all components (Active, ARNG and USAR) that deploy during periods of service

designated for wear of the SSI–FWTS, in accordance with paragraph 28–17. F–2. General.

a. There is no time-in-theater requirement to be authorized to wear the SSI–FWTS.

b. A deployed unit that is authorized to wear an SSI in its own right (or an organic component thereof), in accordance with para 28–16, will wear that unit’s SSI as the SSI–FWTS. This is true regardless of whether the headquarters element deploys, and regardless of the number of changes to the unit’s alignment or operational control

(OPCON) during the period of deployment.

c. When a unit not entitled to its own SSI deploys, the OPCON relationship prior to deployment is terminated, and a new OPCON relationship is established. Members of these units will wear the SSI of the lowest echelon deployed unit entitled to an SSI in each of their new deployed chains of command as their SSI–FWTS.

d. When there is no intermediate unit that has its own SSI in the deployed chain of command, members of units not entitled to their own SSI will wear the SSI of the senior Army command in the theater as their SSI–FWTS.

e. Soldiers who are cross-leveled, assigned, attached, or augmenting deployed units, and soldiers who are TDY on orders through the use of DD Form 1610 (Request and Authorization for TDY Travel of DOD Personnel) will wear the same SSI–FWTS worn by members of the deployed unit(s) to which attached or OPCON. This does not apply to members of Trial Defense and CIDC, who will wear the SSI of their respective commands as their SSI–FWTS.

f. Soldiers authorized to wear more than one SSI–FWTS may choose which SSI–FWTS they wear. Soldiers also may elect not to wear the SSI–FWTS.

g. Precedence was established in Vietnam for elements organic to, or an integral part of an organization to wear the organizational SSI as their SSI–FWTS.



If I'm reading that right the only time he would get to wear another units patch is if no patch of their own is available to them. One wouldn't think that 2 right seat rides gets someone a SSI-FWTS and I know of guys that would rip it off and shove it down his neck for trying to wear it with just that. He is risking getting his *** handed to him in a basket.



I totally agree with aristo that you need to try and figure out when these where all supposedly there at the sametime. Ask him what units he was in that he earned those at because it's possible that you can debunk this. It is possible to have 4 even as many as 6 SSI-FWTS patches nowadays though even though most do not wear them and don't do what this guy is doing. Like was stated in the first answer you got most people would let that patch weight down their right shoulder all day everyday without hesitation. Another thing most who've seen combat don't like to talk about it. I know that my DH and his buddies are VERY closed lipped about what went on over there. Even when he went over for the clean up for the first gulf war he never talked about it and still doesn't to this day.