Is wearing a combat patch required? Did you feel you earned it in a support MOS?

A combat patch doesn't mean you saw combat, it just means you performed your duties in a wartime environment. The vast majority of people who wear a "combat patch" were not in combat. There's no reason for you not to wear it.

SPC Dollins, you were deployed to a wartime theater, doing the job you were trained to do. If you were a helicopter mechanic in the desert, you kept the birds flying that supported the infantry, armor, and cav units at the pointy end of the spear. As a grunt, I want to thank you for doing your job and keeping the birds flying. I have always had the utmost respect for the maintenance and support staff that supported my unit. Without your efforts that for the most part go unnoticed and seldom recognized, the guys at the front wouldn't be able to stay in the fight.
Wear that patch with pride, knowing that you did your part to support the team mission!!

No you are not required to wear your authorized SSI-FWTS which is better known as a combat patch. The vast majority of those that deploy never see "combat" and they are lucky for it.

So you wouldn't count a FOB getting IDF? You're still in harms way even if you're not out toe to toe engaging the enemy. It's jot as sexy, but we all have jobs that support those in the fight.

Everyone has a job to do and it is important that they do it well in order to support the big picture. Not everyone will be required to engage the enemy and that is fine. Some FOBs and COBs were attacked and others were not. Some convoys were attacked and others were not. I have told many Soldiers that because of the mission there is no need for certain units to engage the enemy offensively but that does not mean that they did not earn that right shoulder sleeve insignia for wartime service.

Yes. I questioned whether I wanted to wear mine or not when I first got back, and actually didn't for a while. I met my first squad leader, and he told me to wear it and have pride in my service. If I don't have pride in what I've done and where I've been, how am I supposed to inspire new troops as they begin their service?

Still served man....you put your life at risk...you earned it

The Army has identified the "combat patch" as the Former Wartime Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, for the same purpose to identify those that supported a Wartime Mission whether as a maneuver unit or its combat and service and support brethren. If you deployed regardless of your job, you have earned it.

Remember, it is a SSI-FWS (Former Wartime Service). Did you serve in wartime? Supporting the war effort while deployed? You earned it.

You can wear any SSI-FWS patch to which you are entitled. You are NOT required to wear any. Though it may be "encouraged."

You did your job, I would wear it.

I absolutely hate this question.. and I hate the thought process that has made this question arise. A combat patch is earned for serving in a combat zone. It does not mean you saw combat, participated in combat, or even saw IDF. It simply means that you deployed, as I said before, to a designated combat zone.

Things it is not: Combat Action Badge

If a soldier didn't "earn" a combat patch he wouldn't have had it awarded to him. If you want an identifier for a soldier seeing combat look for the CAB/CIB. If you want an identifier for a soldier having deployed to a forward base in a combat zone look for a combat patch.

Perhaps the Army should consider calling it a "Deployment Patch" or "Hazardous Duty Patch"