Posted on Aug 31, 2014
SPC Craig Smith
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I have a question about combat patches.

I was in Iraq on day 11 of the invasion. OIF 1 & 2. Being in transportation, we served the whole theater. The Air Force, 1st MEF, and the whole advancing force was supplied by our fuel.

When we came back, some people wore different combat patches in my unit. I was told that we were authorized the 49th QM groups patch, which I wore and still have to this day.

How in the world would I find out which combat patch I am authorized to have? If any other one at all?

It may seem like a trivial question, but, if I am authorized another combat patch it would sure be nice to know.

Thanks....
Posted in these groups: Combat patch logo Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
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SSG Audwin Scott
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The question is who were you told by to wear the 49th QM patch? If a unit is in combat there should be orders listed for everyone under that unit. If it was told by command then you wear that patch.
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LTC Doug Dankworth
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Craig, I'm not an expert -- that would be your senior NCOs
But I think you should be wearing the patch that you wore during your deployment.
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COL Andrew Burns
COL Andrew Burns
>1 y
Doug, did we cross paths either at Seoul American,Basic, OCS, Syracuse, ACS - Greece, Illesheim, Korea,Iraq, Afghanistan??? Your name sounds so very familiar?

Andy or Drew Burns
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SSG Patricia Lherisson
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Hello SPC Smith.
In regards to your question concerning the different combat patches please refer to AR-670-1, chapter 4. There you should be able to gain some clarity.
Thanks for your service.
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MAJ Raúl Rovira
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There is a posting on this on MilBook https://www.milsuite.mil/book/docs/DOC-55794 for anyone with a CAC. It is reference ALARACT 055/2007 AR 670-1, 3 FEB 05, WEAR AND APPEARANCE OF ARMY UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA, DTG 281253Z MAR 07 (SSI-FWTS Policy Change).

It is not that hard to follow this. Yet I've seen units bending and twisting the message to justify a cool combat patch. Really!

4. 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 AR 670-1, PARAGRAPH 28-17.
5. THERE IS NO TIME-IN-THEATER REQUIREMENT TO BE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE SSI-FWTS.
6. A DEPLOYED UNIT (COMPANY OR HIGHER) WILL WEAR THEIR 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.
7. WHEN ECHELONS BELOW COMPANY LEVEL DEPLOY, MEMBERS OF THESE UNITS WILL WEAR THE SSI OF THE LOWEST ECHELON DEPLOYED UNIT (COMPANY OR HIGHER) IN THEIR NEW DEPLOYED CHAINS OF COMMAND AS THEIR SSI-FWTS.
8. WHEN THERE IS NO INTERMEDIATE UNIT (COMPANY OR HIGHER) IN THE DEPLOYED CHAIN OF COMMAND, DEPLOYED SOLDIERS WILL WEAR THE SSI OF THE SENIOR ARMY COMMAND IN THE THEATER AS THEIR SSI-FWTS.
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.
10. SOLDIERS AUTHORIZED TO WEAR MORE THAN ONE SSI-FWTS MAY CHOOSE WHICH SSI-FWTS THEY WEAR. SOLDIERS MAY ALSO ELECT NOT TO WEAR THE SSI-FWTS. 11. 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.
12. SOLDIERS ATTACHED OR OPCON TO OTHER SERVICES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO WEAR OTHER SERVICES PATCHES AS THEIR SSI-FWTS WITHOUT WRITTEN APPROVAL FROM THE DCS, ARMY G-1 OR A DELEGATED REPRESENTATIVE.
13. POC FOR UNIFORM POLICY IS SGM K. EASLEY, DSN 225-5287; COMM. [login to see] . E-MAIL IS [login to see] .MIL.
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SFC James Reeder
SFC James Reeder
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Number 6 states it all. WILL being the operative word.
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SFC Aliye Espinosa
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You can support all the units in the army, but you were assigned only to one, that units patch is the one youre authorized to wear the patch for, you should have orders depicting all this
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SGM Financial Management Technician
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I don't wear any. The name tape on the right chest makes the Soldier - not the patch on the right shoulder.
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SGT Suraj Dave
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No Orders = No Proof = No Combat Patch

I am sure at some point you were authorized, but if you don't have the paperwork to prove it, its as good as it didn't happen.
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MSG Douglas Tolliver
MSG Douglas Tolliver
>1 y
There's no requirement for orders for a patch other than a deployment order placing you in the Combat Zone just as the orders PCSing you to a unit authorizes the wear of their patch. There's also not a required ceremony either. Most units just do it for the sake of a ceremony.
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SGT Suraj Dave
SGT Suraj Dave
>1 y
I can't give you exact regs, I have been out of the Army for 2 years, but I believe you need orders as proof of your SSIFWTS. While I was in, they also made the rule you can't wear another units patch as your own unless you were attatched in an element smaller than platoon size. If your element is platoon size or bigger than you wear your organic units patch. In addition, you need a memo from the commander of the other unit approving you to wear the patch.

This was done because in the early 2000 there was combat patch anarchy. You had guardsmen and reservists doing a single deployment returning with 3 combat patches. I remember my 1st deployment we replaced the 4th ID, and the 4th ID allowed the forward surgical team (fst) to wear their patch. When we took over, they asked our BC about it, he said no. In his words "The 4th ID is a no name unit, the 101st is famous. When you wear our patch, people expect a certain quality of training which I do not know that your unit possesses, therfore you can not wear our patch" lol. Good old Col. Poppas.
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1SG Tom Ahearn
1SG Tom Ahearn
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SGT Suraj Dave - Should orders be required, yes. Are they, no. Also as I stated before to LT Rosa a lot of guard units don't have a patch, back home we wear our states patch which is not authorized as a SSI-FWTS. Here is a normal situation: Unit A deploys with with State patch, is assigned to BN B, BDE C, ESC/DIV D. There are no order assigning them to these units that's just who they fall under so they check AR 670-1 and wear the BN patch. While there 4 people are farmed out to other BDEs as LNO, once again no orders, 7 SMs are put on an MTT, again no orders, also half way through the deployment the BN/BDE/DIV do a RIP, now we have BN E, BDE F, ESC/DIV G. No orders for anything, what patch do you wear. Current reg states 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. Older versions did not.
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SGT Combat Engineer
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Exactly, once you have your orders as proof of your deployment, you may earn your deployment stripe as well as your combat patch.
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CH (MAJ) Police Chaplain
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You need an order from the S1 in your records verifying service and authorizing wear of wartime service shoulder sleeve insignia (combat patch).
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SSG Jason Trammell
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I have orders for ALL 7 of my Combat patches, when I was Supporting/Attached to a different unit then my own. If you deployed with a larger Element, BN or higher, that's the patch you wear. You would have orders attaching you to different unit, if you deployed as a smaller unit, COMPANY OR PLATOON level.
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SSG Timothy Stevenson
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Some patches look cooler for sure but when I tell you any patch and 1.50 will buy you a coke out of the machine when you get out or retire.
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SSG Nick Tramontano
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What's in your orders and / or 2-1 ? Otherwise , check with your unit. My company was attached to the 130th Eng, Bde initially, 3rd ACR, 82nd AB, 1st ID. so we are authorized any of them.
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SSG Martin Reyna
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Edited >1 y ago
If you where assigned to them yes... My army unit (3rd Brigade Reconnaissance Troop, 1st Infantry Division) was attached to the 1RCT (Marines) during the Second Battle of Fallujah, we are authorized to wear a Marine combat patch with our Army uniforms... As long as the paperwork is in place mainly in a form of Memorandum the answer is yes....
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SGT Supply Clerk/ Armorer
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I deployed to Afghanistan 13-14 with Oklahoma NG, Btry A 1-158 FA (HIMARS). We were spilt three ways, RC (E) 3ID, RC(S) 4ID and FOB Apache 1ID. The guys at RC(E) have memos for the 3ID and a SF group they supported. The guys at FOB Apache have memos for both the 4ID and 1ID for they supported both. RC(S) personnel are only authorized the 4ID patch with exception of two SM who worked with a California NG unit on the daily, they can wear either. And none of us are authorized to wear our own patch do to the fact we did not deploy as a Battalion size element.
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Sgt Benton Garrison
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I think you have to be in the unit to earn the patch
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SSG Jerry Flores
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The wearing of differrent patches by members of your unit could be that they were in different units prior to being assigned to the present unit, if so, they would wear the patch of the unit they served with in a combat unit. You would wear the patch as the unit you were with, regardles of time in the combat zone, the patch you would wear is the one belonging tothe unit you were with in a combat zone
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SFC Mitchell Domm
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AR 670-1 10 April 2015 Paragraph 21-17 Pages 33-35 have the guidance. Also, note that any adjustments or modifications are usually issued to an individual or Command on official orders.
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PFC Robert Falk
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Well my unit's combat patch is the same as the standard one. So I can wear it with no problems.
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SSG James Dobson
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I believe the answer you are looking for is in AR 670-1 para 21-17, subpara ( 4 ) ( b )
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SP5 Michael Howell
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depend on the divson you were with or attaced to iwas with the 365 tran but attaced to 22nd supcom so were the 22nd supc patch, or or the 8 army patch
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SFC Tracy Scott
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It would be in your redeployment orders. Example: Spc smith assigned to 3/15inf is authorization under blah blah the wear of a combat patch where as he was assigned to 11th acr for the duration of blah blah
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CW4 O-5A/EO-5B/RC-7 Pilot
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>1 y
This is not necessarily correct. I deployed 3 times, authorized 4 patches and none of my orders state anything about a patch, nor have I ever received a memo stating what I am authorized to wear. Not all units publish a combat patch memo and I never saw a "patch ceremony" until my 3rd deployment.
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SPC Donald Moore
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If you are not still a serving member, it really doesn't matter. I still have the uniform in the photo, but I never expect to wear it again, so how does it matter what I am authorized to wear?
If you were told to wear 49th QM, that is what you wear! Dead Simple! Follow ORDERS.
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SSG Scott Kronstedt
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to the best of my knowledge you are only authorized the patch of the unit you were assigned to. for example i am authorized 2 different patches for wear on the right sleeve, 3cav and 1ad, but I am not authorized to wear the patch of 18abn corps which 3cav was attached to and operated in support of. or whatever un command 1ad operated in support of.
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SPC Bill Earley
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I think the one you had but I have no real answer my friend just show pride in the one you had . It sounds like to me you guys did a great task and that's all that matters.
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SFC Ronald Britcher
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U can only wear the combat patch of the unit you wear assign too and and you will get a Memoradum from the commanding officer of that unit stating your right to wear your combat patch on your right shoulder..
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SGT Jonathan Hodrick
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If you served in theater with another unit besides the 49th QM, then you are authorized to wear that patch as well. Your choice.
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SSG Lloyd Becker BSBA-HCM, MBA
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AR 670-1 is the source to use when having questions about what to wear on a uniform. Just because a person supports another unit is admirable, but when insignias appear on uniforms that are unathorized, stories can be told which are not true.

It is even more so with civilian employers. Embellishing a service record is dimly viewed by most employers. AR 670-1, read it and it will make sense.
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SSG Shawn Ireland
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There are a couple things you need to find out and your chain of command can help with the answer to your question. First the Army Regs. Are clear as to weather or not you qualify to wear a combat patch! You need to look it up and see what it says. You must meet certain requirements and time periods to be allowed to wear a combat patch. Then you must be directly assigned to a unit that is within a combat zone for a specific time period. The regs. are very specific and you must meet all the requirements in order to qualify to wear a combat unit patch. The one thing I read that you wrote is that there are soldiers wearing different combat patches from the same unit! This is definitely wrong. You either qualify or not,and if you do your unit would only be able to wear one patch for the entire company. There is no way that you would qualify for more than one, unless you left the battle and were CPS'ed back to the states, and were ordered back into the area of operation in a different area and command. And it would have to be a second or third tour in country under a different command and unit. This would explain why some soldiers wore different combat unit patches. In other words, different unit assignment in country and actively engaged in combat action with that unit for the required time frame, and secondly to be eligible to wear a different combat unit patch you would have to be assigned to a second or third or more tours in country and involved in combat actions with that unit for the prescribed time frame. And lastly you can only wear the most current combat unit patch for the unit of which you were engaged in combat with. You can not wear one on one uniform and another on a bother uniform. It's the same as wearing your unit patch that you are currently assigned to. And the way you know you are allowed is the fact that you would be issued orders to the fact. If this doesn't help, look up your Army Regulations and they will set you straight. Don't ever assume that you are untitled to wear any patch or decorations before you are issued orders stating that you are qualified to do so. If you are caught wearing any decorations without orders, you will find yourself in big trouble. Don't be what we used to call a PX Soldier. This is a soldier who goes to the PX and buys all the new shiny badges and wears them on his uniform as he figured he was in the Army, so that entitled him to be able to wear them! You will always receive orders and they will hold a formation to award those who have earned the right to wear any and all awards of all types from medals, combat patch, CIB, EIB, and every other award you have qualified for. Just remember that you can only wear the most current and approved awards. Some awards are not permanent in nature. This doesn't mean you don't have it ,but that some awards are not transferable from one unit to the next. Some awards are unit specific and can only be worn with the unit of issue. Bottom line, in in doubt ask your chain of command and read your Army Regulations covering awards.
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SPC Travis G
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Yes
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CSM Combat Engineer
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See your unit's task organization chart. Who was the higher headquarters. Of course you supported a lot of other units but the units that are outlined on the org chart will tell you which ones and how many different ones you can wear. I was in 2AD but fell under 18th AB Corps. Was told I could wear either but wore my unit.
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MSG Signal Support Systems Specialist
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Prior to 2005, maybe. After, no.
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