According to new guidance, everyone without orders to wear a different SSI-FWTS will have to remove it, or change their SSI-FWTS?

2014-04-30T06:02:30-04:00

The Regulation doesn't specify a "grandfathering in process for SSI-FWTS, nor does it specify if the new guidance applies to SM pre 31 March 2014. In this effect, according to the guidance, everyone without orders to wear a different SSI-FWTS will subsequently have to remove it, or change the SSI-FWTS with an authorized SSI-FWTS

21–17. Shoulder sleeve insignia–former wartime service
a. General. Authorization to wear a SSI indicating FWTS applies only to Soldiers who are/were assigned to U.S.
Army units that meet all the following criteria:
(1) The Secretary of the Army or higher must declare the theater or area of operation as a hostile environment to
which the unit is assigned or Congress must pass a Declaration of War.
(2) The units must have actively participated in or supported ground combat operations against hostile forces in
which they were exposed to the threat of enemy action or fire, either directly or indirectly.
(3) The military operation normally must have lasted for a period of 30 days or longer. An exception may be made
when U.S. Army forces are engaged with a hostile force for a shorter period of time, when they meet all other criteria,
and a recommendation from the general or flag officer in command is forwarded to the Chief of Staff, Army.
(4) The Chief of Staff, Army must approve the authorization for wearing the SSI for FWTS. Note: Units are not
authorized to make modifications to their SSI, or SSI-FWTS without prior approval from the DCS, G-1. A mirror
image SSI-FWTS is considered a modification.
(5) Personnel who served in a designated area as a civilian or a member of another Service, but were not a member
of the U.S. Army during one of the specified periods are not authorized to wear the SSI-FWTS.
(6) Unless otherwise approved by this regulation, Soldiers attached or under operational control (OPCON) to other
services are not authorized to wear their patches as their SSI-FWTS without written approval from DCS, G-1 or a
designated representative.
AR 670–1 • 31 March 2014 33
(7) Soldiers of all Army components (Active, ARNG, and USAR) who deploy during periods of service designated
for wear of the SSI-FWTS are authorized to wear a SSI-FWTS. There are no time-in-theater requirements for
authorization to wear the SSI-FWTS. Soldiers may not earn more than one SSI-FWTS during the same deployment.
(a) A deployed unit (company or higher) will wear its unit SSI as the SSI-FWTS, regardless of the headquarters
element deploying and the unit alignment or OPCON during the period of deployment.
(b) A deployed unit will not wear its assigned SSI as its SSI-FWTS when the SSI belongs to a major command,
such as an ACOM/ASCC/DRU or State Area Command, or a non-deployable unit. In such cases, the unit will wear the
SSI of the lowest echelon Army unit (company or higher) in the deployed chain of command as the SSI-FWTS. When
there is no intermediate unit (company or higher) in the deployed chain of command, these deployed Soldiers will wear
the SSI of the senior command in the theater as its SSI-FWTS.
(c) When echelons below company level (such as teams or squads) deploy, members of these units will wear the
SSI of the lowest echelon deployed Army unit (company or higher) in the deployed chain of command (based on
written orders) as the SSI-FWTS. When there is no intermediate unit (company or higher) in the deployed chain of
command, these deployed Soldiers will wear the SSI of the senior command in the theater as its SSI-FWTS.
(d) Individual Soldiers who are attached (to include OPCON, cross-leveled, assigned, or augmenting deployed units)
will wear the same SSI-FWTS worn by members of the deployed Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by
written orders. A Soldier who is further attached (to one or more units) during one deployment will only wear the SSIFWTS
for the first Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by written orders. Soldiers who deploy with their
unit (company level or higher) will wear the SSI-FWTS as outlined in paragraph 21–17a(7)(a), regardless how many
times they are further attached to other units as individuals or teams. Members of trial defense and Criminal
Investigation Division Command will wear the SSI of their respective commands as their SSI-FWTS.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2014 7:16 PM

2014-06-13T19:16:32-04:00

Are you asking about what the regulation states or just stating this for situational awareness?

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 13 at 2014 8:30 PM

2014-06-13T20:30:09-04:00

You wear the SSI of the lowest unit authorized an SSI that you served with. When we went to Iraq, quite a few in our unit were hoping we'd be able to wear the XVIII Airborne Corps, "pukin', dragon". Then we were told that as a Bde, we were authorized our own patch as our wartime service SSI.

You might have thought the DFAC pi$$ed in the our unit's entire supply of Cheerios, when that news came down.

The insulting part is we had an active duty unit, bunch of real, "All Americans" who refused to wear a NG SSI and wore their own instead - against regulations.

Me, on the other hand, found it quite cool as we were the first unit in our state to have our patch as a combat patch.

Response by MSG Martin C. made Jun 13 at 2014 8:59 PM

2014-06-13T20:59:56-04:00

This is the same as before. Honestly the only thing that really bothers me is individuals that never served in a unit but will wear the SSI-WTF because they were attached. Let me be clear on something if you never being in FT Riley or Germany with Big Red One but you wear the patch like you were and I ask you what brigade were you in and your answer is I was attached you look ridiculous and you don't even understand what we go trough being part of those type of units. Specially when I see someone wearing the 82ND ABN but is not a jumper and I ask them and their respond is I was attached it drives me insane.... Be proud of your unit and wear your patch even if is from some small unit or a NTL Guard patch wear it with pride. If you never served at that unit in the rear don't wear the patch. When I see individual wearing the 1ST ID patch but they never were in division it's crazy being part of a Division it's a life style an experience going to the Field doing our training, singing our division song, participating on division runs and force ruck marches etc.... Bottom line you were not part of it don't wear it.

Response by MSG(P) Michael Warrick made Jun 13 at 2014 11:58 PM

2014-06-13T23:58:33-04:00

Thank you SFC Cardenas, well said!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2014 1:48 AM

2014-06-14T01:48:22-04:00

SGT Rafanan, OEF has been going on for more than 30 days. If a Soldier arrived in theater on 31 May 2014, they would be entitled to wear the SSI-FWTS for the unit they are assigned to in support of OEF. I have already addressed this with ARCENT G1 and HQDA Awards-Decorations. Any Soldier arriving BOG on 1 June 2014 in areas supporting OEF but no longer receiving HFP/IDP do not meet the eligibility requirement laid out in AR 670-1. At the time of this writing, there is has been no ETP submitted to allow for any change.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2014 2:59 AM

2014-06-14T02:59:47-04:00

There has been a change. If you read the whole regulation guidance all the way through, and the ALARCT guidance all the way through, you will find that the guidance changed from being if you are OPCON authorised to where the SSI-FWTS from the ALARACT to AR 670-1 guidance.

9. 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 THEIR DEPLOYED UNIT (COMPANY OR HIGHER) 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.

My main concern wasn't addressing that, I am well aware of the guidance given in both of the ALARACTs and the Reg. My main concern is the interpretation of written order, because orders can be given in memorandum format. i.e. "no contact orders, reprimands, and so forth; as well as, more guidance for SMs that are AGR coming over do not have the same orders as all active duty i.e. IMA, NG, RC, and AGR. Some don't come with their own unit, or deploy with a unit but in theater they are not being rated by their unit, awarded by their unit, or even with their unit at all, for example USFOR-A, IJC, ISAF are units that are not garrison units, so the patches are Afghanistan exclusive. The new regulation is very broad and didn't cover everything that was my biggest concern.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2018 6:55 AM

2018-03-09T06:55:37-05:00

This seems like the best place to ask this question. A group of people frommmy brigade were attached to a different brigade. However our tcs orders to Afghanistan state that we are assigned to our home unit. What ssi do we wear?

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jul 26 at 2020 9:43 AM

2020-07-26T09:43:46-04:00

Holy cow. This regulation about a unit insignia is a great example of why the USAF doesn’t wear “combat patches”.