Posted on Oct 26, 2020
Does a tour of duty to Egypt’s Sinai peninsula qualify a soldier for wear of a CSIB/SSI-FWTS?
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I’m going to start with “no”. The Sinai Peninsula was authorized the combat zone tax exemption in the tax cuts at the end of 2018. Effective in 2019, the exemption was made retroactive to 2015, when an insurgency in the area started some wild Tom foolery between the government and locals. At some point before then, Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger pay was also authorized.
Now my understanding is that since this mission was not in support of OIH/OEF/OSS or any other CENTCOM mission, that it was not a combat deployment. AR 670-1 does not reflect Sinai as a qualifying AO. The problem I have with this is that there is one soldier tooling around (different battalion currently,but was in the same company as me in Egypt) wearing a combat patch for this deployment. He has no other deployments. On numerous occasions myself and other NCOs have approached this SM and had him remove it, but recently he’s been resistant to that, saying there is documentation saying it’s an authorized combat zone now.
That being said, the authorization for Saudi Arabia does, due to a territorial dispute, somewhat authorize a patch for those on the same mission as us, but only those who rotated through one small outpost.
I’ve scoured the internet, ARs, DA memos, and DAPMS, and haven’t got anything more recent than 2017. Nobody else wears a patch for that deployment, but before I make an ass of myself confronting this soldier again, is there something I missed? Does anyone know anything about an authorization to wear a patch for the Sinai? Big explanation for a simple question, thanks in advance.
Now my understanding is that since this mission was not in support of OIH/OEF/OSS or any other CENTCOM mission, that it was not a combat deployment. AR 670-1 does not reflect Sinai as a qualifying AO. The problem I have with this is that there is one soldier tooling around (different battalion currently,but was in the same company as me in Egypt) wearing a combat patch for this deployment. He has no other deployments. On numerous occasions myself and other NCOs have approached this SM and had him remove it, but recently he’s been resistant to that, saying there is documentation saying it’s an authorized combat zone now.
That being said, the authorization for Saudi Arabia does, due to a territorial dispute, somewhat authorize a patch for those on the same mission as us, but only those who rotated through one small outpost.
I’ve scoured the internet, ARs, DA memos, and DAPMS, and haven’t got anything more recent than 2017. Nobody else wears a patch for that deployment, but before I make an ass of myself confronting this soldier again, is there something I missed? Does anyone know anything about an authorization to wear a patch for the Sinai? Big explanation for a simple question, thanks in advance.
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 9
My best friend died leaving the Sinai Peninsula in 1985. I hope there's some recognition for those who put their lives on the line there.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen F. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SPC Woody Bullard CPL Dave Hoover SFC William Farrell Lt Col Charlie Brown Col Carl Whicker SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Robert Pryor SGT Jim Arnold Maj William W. 'Bill' Price PO1 Tony Holland SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC Wayne Brandon PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Douglas Bolton PVT Mark Zehner
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen F. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SPC Woody Bullard CPL Dave Hoover SFC William Farrell Lt Col Charlie Brown Col Carl Whicker SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Robert Pryor SGT Jim Arnold Maj William W. 'Bill' Price PO1 Tony Holland SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC Wayne Brandon PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Douglas Bolton PVT Mark Zehner
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SSG (Join to see)
I assure you, nobody who’s been to that mission since has forgotten the 101st and the tragedy that struck those 248 Screaming Eagles and eight crewmen or their families and friends.
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MSG Allan Davis
Let me assure you SGT Reynolds the Airborne never forget our own even if it was before our time. God Bless
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SPC Paul MacLEOD
There is a huge 101st memorial on the side of the mountain there, and the Red Snapper Officers bar at South Camp has a wall dedicated to those men who never made it home
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That’s an easy fix. If the documentation is not in his iperms, MEMO, 4187, 1610 from DTS and brigade or battalion signed memo from Arcent, then he is not allowed to wear it. I have been in KUWAIT for almost a year and recently went to Saudi Arabia as it is now a combat zone retroactive since Sep 2019. However in order for me to be authorized I has to upload to iperms 4187, 1610, 1351, and the ARCENT MEMO to include my Divison BC who is a O-5. Check the memos attached that we have currently.
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No... if it's not in 670-1 then it's not authorized. There are plenty of other places out there receiving CZTE for which you don't receive a combat patch, e.g. Kosovo. The one caveat is if a new location/conflict is added to the list of authorized locations in between revisions of 670-1 then it will be released in a message, most likely as an ALARACT or MILPER. When the update is released as a G-1 memo they are typically posted on the Army uniform website, here: https://www.army.mil/uniforms/
The United States Army Uniforms
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CPT (Join to see)
SSG (Join to see) - If he cannot provide you with documentation that it is authorized, I would strongly recommend counseling him on a 4856 on the correct wear of the uniform in accordance with 670-1 concerning SSI-FWTS wear. It makes your directive more clear to the soldier, and perhaps he will take it more seriously. If he continues to wear it, you will have proof that you educated him on the topic and he chose to ignore your order and the regs.
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