If you have deployed, do you choose to wear your deployment patch or not?

My past 3 assignments I have reported with a sterile uniform.&nbsp; It is important for me to earn respect and acknowledgement based on the work and duties performed.&nbsp; Once the boss has a Class A/ACU inspection I then wear patches and badges.&nbsp; It shows some humility and my desire to earn respect based on performance rather than letting previous career opportunities speak for my competence.<br>

Perhaps he was just promoted to SGT based on merit and hadn't had the opportunity to deploy yet. &nbsp;Deployment experience isn't the only adequate indicator of leadership ability, and anyone who tells you otherwise is sadly mistaken. &nbsp;

<p>I wear my patch from my first deployment.&nbsp; I wear it because I am damn proud of my Soldiers that I served with on that deployment (Alpha Troop, 3-4 CAV, 4th Platoon).&nbsp; I&nbsp;keep in touch with all of my guys from back then.&nbsp; Our unit has some rich history&nbsp;with valorous duty during Vietnam.&nbsp; We actually had the Alpha Troop 3/4&nbsp;CAV guidon that they carried during Vietnam with us in Afghanistan.&nbsp; Very proud of those guys and that unit.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>I do not wear it&nbsp;as some sort of "validation of adequacy" from subordinates, peers or seniors.&nbsp; A patch does not provide that.&nbsp; </p>

I had a very good friend I met in Korea..was a SPC... craziest dude you ever wanted to meet and the coolest.He never spoke about past units and when he wore his greens it was barren of anything but the basic items. Watching him one had the feeling something was amiss because of the way he carried himself with everything he did. The day he left the unit he waltzed into the company CQ wearing his greens and man was it loaded !!! AA, AB, Ranger tab, German shutzenshnuer,too many ribbons to count to include purple heart and a lot of stars on many ribbons. He had a 3 ring binder in his hand and was approached by the CO and a few LT's who immediately proceeded to grill him about this sudden change. I watched the disgust in my commanders eyes as this SPC calmly laid the binder on the desk and said very calmly " read em and weep sir". he had documentation for everything! When he was asked why he never let anyone know he replied that he didnt feel like the unit was worth a plug nickle and was glad to be leaving to a real unit. He went on to say that from what he had experienced/saw he chose to not let it be known as the commander always had a way of calling people out to do bs stuff if they were "stacked" which was true.... I guess there are two sides to every coin.

I personally have a choice of two. The 173rd or the 82nd. I would never wear the 82nd combat patch even if my life depended on it. The 173rd will always be represented on my uniform. In regards to your question some soldiers may not have pride in their unit that they deployed with.

Depends on the unit... There is a unit I have deployed with that had it been the only unit I deployed with, I would never wear a combat patch.

Those Soldiers should be verbally counseled about how other units operate, I for instance was in a unit for 4 years straight, same people, same leadership, just different faces here and there. We never deployed, and we all had great NCO's and officers, but our unit just wasn't going to be deployed, other than BN rotations to Korea and back conus. Wearing a patch doesn't effect leadership ability and those Soldiers should be taught that. That's what develops poisonous leadership and unfortunately not everyone will be deployed so we as leaders cannot teach nor allow soldiers to feel that a leader not wearing a combat patch is less of a leader. How would those soldiers feel if that NCO had a EIB or ranger tab and told them and other leaders that they're not real leaders because they don't have what he has? That would begin a whole other debate

Long time and far far away, I went to Vietnam. We wore the leaning outhouse patch where I was. Then we all went to the USARV patch just before I was sent back to the states. I call it the "Used to be patch". Sounded similar and it no longer exists. That was on my shoulder till the day I left service, 33 years later. The last 15 or so no one knew what it was. Most of my watercraft unit was deployed to Kuwait for pre-staging equipment; I was left home to mind the store; I don't wear anything for that because I didn't deploy though I was activated for rear detachment, then VA finally caught up with the Vietnam paperwork and did something with it, then that made me non deployable and was discharged. Don't know what they do now or how the new "work" or combat uniform works or what silly acronym that have come up with this time . Don't rightly care either, I finally got my Reserve retirement 3 years ago.
Fun part after 30 was getting enough longevity stripes in a row on one sheet to get them sewed on my class A's, with short arms, and MSG rank, they darn near collided..

Yes, and Yes. I have also worn sterile uniforms. I am proud of all the units I have served with in combat, and all the Soldiers I served with. It is also a testament to those who gave their last full measure of devotion.

If I was king, I would do away with combat patches and badges on the field uniform.