Army Commander requires troops to wear ACUs with no badges/combat patches?

Honestly, I remember a time when we didn't wear rank in the field because everyone knew everyone else, especially the leadership in your immediate chain. The age disparity between junior enlisted and SNCO & Staff Officer was so pronounced there was just no excuse not to be able to identify "the powers that be."

I saw this story on a vet page on Facebook. Interesting that it is 6 months old.

Can all wear red stars.

Cpl Joe Hood Right now I am wearing a cap w/ a Red Chinese star my son bought home from his trip to China! 3/9/16

Chief, you are absolutely correct.

However, at the Field Grade level and above you have to pick your battles. Someone will win this battle, but lose the war. It's an unfortunate reality of the power of command. I was left off of the E-7 promotion list while deployed for not having the final phase of ALC. When my 1SG ran up the chain the ALARACT that stated that NCOES is waived for E-7 & E-8 promotions for up to two years after deployment, the State CSM said that "the regulation is all well and good, but if you didn't complete ALC prior to deployment you're not getting promoted on MY promotion list." I could have fought through the IG and maybe gotten on the list (I had 100 points on the guy that got promoted first), but they would have found a way to not promote off the 31B list for a year and I would most certainly would have been blackballed on assignments. Today, I am months away from catching up to my peer that got promoted over me and am happy to be in a position to help other Soldiers to get what they have earned without the bumps and bruises I did.

Commanders (and good idea fairies) come and commanders go, it's up to the rest of us to provide continuity to the Force and keep everyone focused on what's important: the mission & Soldier care.

NO unit commander has ever cared about AR 670-1 above their personal desires.

To quote a highly decorated and respected SF CSM I served under. "I'll stop wearing it when you can peel it off my cold dead body." Responding to a non-airborne LTC's order that all the SF and airborne qualified and billeted personnel in a mixed unit should stop wearing their berets revert to ball caps.
The troop response was to wear their ball caps in formations and once dismissed to drop said ball caps to the ground and put a boot on them, just so they didn't blow away, while they donned their berets. The order was rescinded in under 24 hours.

Actually according to 670-1 it is in fact illegal

I see we have another CSM who has never read AR 670-1

Bull crap. The commander is probably mad that soldiers got more than he has. Or had a bleeding heart for the new kids who had nothing on their uniforms. I earned what I have. Why cant I wear what I have earned? In my opinion the commader and NCOs who enforced this silly and stupid rule should be relieved. It is authorized for wear and covered under AR 670-1. Just use the regulation on them as they use it against you. That is one of the reasons i retired. Stupid crap like this to make people feel better about themself when they want what they did not earn.

I did not have many ribbons or awards that everyone did not have. But those i did have I earned and was proud of them. Had I stayed in the Army I would have worn them on my uniforms. Let the newbies wonder about them and feel bad because their uniforms were bare. It is like my Sgt. stripes. I was proud of them and worked my butt off to earn them. If you were in 2 years and were still a PFC E-3 then you were a slacker and had no pride in what you did.

I know that when I earned my EFMB at Fort Riley in 1977, I wore it. Troops liked knowing that I was a qualified, tested Medic.

Nail, head. Though with two different operational concepts, COIN and Full Spec there are now two different ways to identify the experience, time in service (pre-2004 ish) and recent combat operations (2004 on). To me this is an individual choice, I chose which patch to wear. I had an NCO back when we still had BDU's, went flat line all the time, but in Greens had more salad than the CSM. Individual choices.

All I got to say is Hooah Top!

1sg agree totally my first experience in the military was guys who fought in vietnam, they help me to become who im am, how to to survive, and move the fck on, never once did i complain about being left out, they have, it why dont i, served 31 years never saw combat until 2009, that how it is and for the young troops out there if you joined to get combat patch , so your honey will love you more, move the fck on

this whole conversation bother me, my cousin was 3rd bct commander 101 2008 when i arrivered, when i left he was gen. o's executaive officer, wish he were in this convertsation now

"in the grand scheme...I think this is one of those things that doesnt really have an effect, other than people crying about it on social media - no real effect, positive or negative, at the unit." -- Nailed it, Major Steven. (y)

in the grand scheme as you put it thoses that did done it and should be able to show it
and its just not flair, it is the honor of thoses that didnt make it back that we wear this patch, my counter part before i went to iraq was blown the fck up think about that

I think this is actually more of a "previous experience doesn't negate the value of this training" issue, or just because you've done this a thousand times before doesn't mean this won't be valuable to you, and those around you.

Sanitizing the uniform may help alleviate some of the "been there done that" attitude (perception) for the training exercise, which is what I think his actual goal is.

There's times for your resume to be on display, and there's times where it doesn't matter.

I think at least on dress blouses all awards badges etc should be worn. It is like your resume. Where has this guy been and what’s he done. They should all be earned and not passed out like candy

hear hear CSM Tee Oden

SGT (Join to see) "allowed" is a loose word. You just used your old sets when they were nearing "end of life." New sets for garrison, old sets for the field. Wearing new cammies to the field was asking to throw away $50~.

Wearing older pairs was just practical. Your worst, but still "serviceable" (and I use this term loosely) would be your backup in your pack, while your second worst was what you wore. With a flak on, fading wasn't really an issue (not that "grey" ACU's fade). Trousers were fine as long as sewn & patched.

SGT (Join to see), the esteemed Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS is on point. If are using your clothing allowance correctly and replacing one set of utility uniforms a year, most folks have at-least 1-4 sets of uniforms that just don't look as nice as the new ones. While still serviceable (no holes, all the buttons button, etc) they might be a bit more faded than what you would normally wear in garrison, but not to the point it looks like your wearing an Arctic uniform (we have all seen them).

So is the Soldier who has everything sewn onto their uniforms required to cut their badges off just to go to the field? It makes plenty of sense for those who wear nothing but pin-on badges for the sake of "safety", but sounds more like asking other Soldiers to spend more of their money.

AR 670-1
paragragh 2-6:
"f. Commanders will not require individuals to purchase optional uniform items. Likewise, they will not restrict or discourage them from wearing optional uniform items authorized by this regulation, except in those instances where uniformity is required, such as parades or formations."