Posted on Feb 13, 2016
Is wearing a combat patch required? Did you feel you earned it in a support MOS?
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I didn't feel a combat patch was a big deal, since I was just doing the same thing deployed as if I was stateside. I never saw 'combat' like infantry units. I was maintenance. Am I the only one?
Posted in these groups: 
15D: Aircraft Powertrain Repairer
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
15D: Aircraft Powertrain Repairer Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 109
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Then don't wear it. That's up to you. You're not required to wear the patch or anything else on your uniform. In combat Ur tapes & rank. There are those who don't want to & those who think if your not infrantry you shouldn't. It's oh well the regs say you may wear. Which means the individual soldier has the choice. I kno soldiers who don't wear the cib or cab or other badges. Doesn't mean they didn't ear them.
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I was honored to wear combat patch even in your support role does not make are sacrifice any less in fact it's more difficult is a thankless job and you'll always be called The Pog snowflake Hobbit because you were not a 11 Bravo
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The issue here is that it's not a combat patch. Wearing one has nothing to do with combat in the true sense of the word. Combat Zone does not mean combat it just means you were in a designated hostile fire zone. Even those, HOA for example, are subject to scrutiny and the is no "combat" going on.
Ok, I'm done with my rant.
Army uniforms tell a story. Your SSI and SSI-FWTS tell your story and you should be proud to wear it.
Ok, I'm done with my rant.
Army uniforms tell a story. Your SSI and SSI-FWTS tell your story and you should be proud to wear it.
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I'm maintenance as well. We worked our asses off. Myself and my mechanics also went out on the convoys for maintenance support. If your in the environment you deserve the patch and you should wear it proudly. It means your seasoned. You did the job at home, and you did the job during combat operations. Infantry units and other combat units need support. It's a fact.
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I disagree, Specialist. When deployed, the enemy doesn't care if you are Maintenance, Medic (like me), a cook, or paper pusher. We are less likely to get shot or hit with an IED here, compared to the frequency of a combat zone. It may be the same 'job', but the hazards are much higher.
Besides I got two different combat patches; which ID'd us to the unit we were attached to. It keeps troop movement information accurate. I saw plenty of combat during both deployments.
Besides I got two different combat patches; which ID'd us to the unit we were attached to. It keeps troop movement information accurate. I saw plenty of combat during both deployments.
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I was career Air Force and I earned two patches. One with the 25ID/3BCT OEF 2003 and MNC-I OIF 2008. At the time, the units I was assigned to (Air Support Operations Squadron, TACP units) were the only ones authorized by Air Force regulations to wear Army unit and combat patches. And like some Army support personnel that commented above, I did not go outside the wire, I was never shot at, but I believed the work I did helped those that did. I will say that when I walked into an Army office to discuss business with them, once they saw my combat patch I noticed a slightly more respective tone from them. I guess the patch told them that I walked their walk.
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Remember this, from an Old Logistics Sergeant. I faced the same danger and fired the same weapons. I wear my Combat Patch with Pride.
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It was called "Former Wartime Shoulder Sleeve Insignia" not a "Combat Patch" even though that is the nickname it has acquired over the years. The Army is a team made up of many different players and positions. The Infantryman putting rounds down range could not do so without the medical folks trying to keep them healthy, the transportation folks getting them and their supplies where they are needed, the supply folks getting them their supplies, the intel folks trying to make sense as to who and what they are actually delivering rounds at, the cooks trying to get them chow when they can, the ordinance folks fixing the broke stuff, the engineers building and bridging things along with trying to find things that go boom, the artillery and armor folks to back up the actual grunt boots on the ground, the aviation folks getting them and their equipment to places and providing air support via the attack helicopters and the admin types trying to handle all the paperwork associated with just being in the Army. So, if you have been downrange, your contribution and job is nothing to be ashamed of or to try and hide. The grunts and medics get the Combat Infantry and Medical Badges for a reason and I am guessing that some of the support folks get their Combat Action Badge for this same reason. But if you get the "I was there" medal / ribbon and are authorized to wear the insignia of a unit you went downrange with, wear it as you earned that right.
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I was a Security Forces member in the Air Force. At one ceremony in theater, they gave AF members combat patches as well. For 10 seconds I was happy, honored, proud. Then I saw who else was getting these patches. AF personnel trying to write us up for being out of uniform - shirts untucked or blouse off with shirt and DCUs on on our porches after a 14 hour work day. In Iraq, 130 degrees, talking. She would send her spies out to get us. She, who can't properly load a magazine into her M16. Either Msgt or Smsgt who was our first sgt.
But also, this is an Army, honorably earned patch. Not, your here, so I guess you get one too. I felt it disrespectful to those before, during and after me that earn those in the Army.
So first, honor and thank you. But then, this is passed out like candy to non deserving individuals who don't have work to do so they try to get you into trouble, others messed up our previous tower to vehicle rotation so we didn't go psychotic in the towers for 12 hours daily by our selves. With nothing to help.
Oh, and these morons put their packages on a shared drive. Lies and the tower changes were for bronze star application. He also put our convoys at risk when he would do ride alongs so he would have down range time or something. He upped those times as well and lied about what his role was. He had to be treated as a media person because he had no experience and was in our way and wasting a seat. Write ups were for 1st sgt application. Medals, medals, medals. Screw many over to make yourself look good. You can't prove it.
But also, this is an Army, honorably earned patch. Not, your here, so I guess you get one too. I felt it disrespectful to those before, during and after me that earn those in the Army.
So first, honor and thank you. But then, this is passed out like candy to non deserving individuals who don't have work to do so they try to get you into trouble, others messed up our previous tower to vehicle rotation so we didn't go psychotic in the towers for 12 hours daily by our selves. With nothing to help.
Oh, and these morons put their packages on a shared drive. Lies and the tower changes were for bronze star application. He also put our convoys at risk when he would do ride alongs so he would have down range time or something. He upped those times as well and lied about what his role was. He had to be treated as a media person because he had no experience and was in our way and wasting a seat. Write ups were for 1st sgt application. Medals, medals, medals. Screw many over to make yourself look good. You can't prove it.
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SPC Dollins, we all must do our job. I was 52 D never saw combat, them soldier up front require our support. You made it possible for the Aircraft to operate. Thank you for your service Brother.
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If I clean the bathrooms at Harvard for 8 years do I get a Masters Degree from there?
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SPC James Dollins
So if I understand you right, support MOS's shouldn't be authorized combat patches?
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SPC Wanda Vergara-Yates
Never confuse the difference between 8 years cleaning bathrooms with 8 years cleaning the bathrooms to fund the degree being earned at the same time. However, I don't see this analogy as properly fitting because the combat patch supposedly represents time spent in a combat zone. It does not represent combat itself, although maybe it should. Everyone signing up for military service volunteers for risk. Each of us signed up to sacrifice something. Remember "All gave some, some gave all"? It is true. I gave some even though I never deployed. I pushed paper, but I still signed up to do my job wherever anytime under whatever was needed. I had a baby during this time. Had I been in VII Corps instead of V Corps, I would have deployed instead of returning to an office to work 6 am to 10 pm my first day back so we could catch up on a backlog. I would have been away from my newborn for months instead of the two weeks I spent at a field problem. I would have risked more than just the every day possibility that a terrorist might drive by our housing area and blow up my family. I will not downplay my sacrifice because it was rough. However, I will never expect to receive the same deference I would hope to give those who deploy. Beyond that, I would give the most deference to those who honorably served in the most dangerous areas on the most dangerous missions. This is what the medals are supposed to be fore. It is not for me to question someone wearing the patch if they were deployed for the time required to wear it. My prayer is that they do so honorably. I gave some and was prepared to give all, but since my "some" was slight in comparison to so many, I absolutely respect those of you who deployed, even the twirps that were stupid while there, because they risked life and limb too. Sadly, they risked lives and limbs of everyone around them, but so did the two soldiers that decided to play baseball with mines in 1991.
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it you are in a combat theater you are other rise to weir that patch. weather or not you see combat . that and it looks good on the uniform.
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I've deployed twice and I'm only in the National Guard... I first came into the military as an 11bravo. Reclassed to an 88mike. Due to my 11 bravo background I deployed as the Cav... A lot of people judge you if you don't have a combat patch like you're not a soldier or something... It just shows how ignorant people are... I'm like come on we wear the same uniform... So when I see people look at my right arm and see no patch and don't talk to me then they're not worth my time I have nothing to prove anyways... All I care about is if you wear that uniform do you have my six??? Besides if you've deployed you should be teaching the one who didn't deploy what to expect so they dont panick... That's just me true blue
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This is a question that you should ask your First Sergeant, because Tops are better suited to explain to you the proper wear of the uniform, or you can just go ahead and wear your deployment patch/combat patch.
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The combat patch isn't there to show bravado. It there to show you have been through the deployment process. It's about experience.
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Speaking as a soldier who never deployed as a result of unit assignments (along with my MOS), I believe you did earn your combat patch as long as you were deployed to a combat area because you could have seen combat at any time and had to perform your duties with that in mind. It does not matter whether or not your job changed, especially since maintenance in theater and in the rear is more closely aligned that some other jobs. For instance, MY job during "peace time" and in the rear involves a broad range of personnel management activities ranging from processing an id card to cutting orders for a good conduct medal. My job during "war time" or in a combat environment is reduced to very few things, in fact, basically TWO: casualty reports and war-time awards. However, I would be required to also work with other types of war-time tasks that are not even conducted during peace time, such as "per sitreps" or personnel situation reports at the unit level to which assigned (battalion, brigade, division or corps). The risk you would take as a maintenance technician is much higher than anything I would have been exposed to. However, we would both be at risk for a combat situation at any time, and that risk is what earns the patch. If activity finds you, then there are other ways you should be recognized. I hope this helps you feel more honored rather than unworthy to wear that patch. Thank you for your service.
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Spc. I servered from 88-96 and never deployed .But I did experience 2 events that changed my life forever.
We've all done our part.Be proud of your service.you helped save lives and changed the lives of many by your duties deployed and home.wear it with honor.it represents your hard work and devotion to your brothers/sisters.You've earned it.Spc Davis retired Army veteran .
We've all done our part.Be proud of your service.you helped save lives and changed the lives of many by your duties deployed and home.wear it with honor.it represents your hard work and devotion to your brothers/sisters.You've earned it.Spc Davis retired Army veteran .
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There is no requirement to wear it. You can not wear it if you are not authorized, but if you are authorized it is your choice if you do or not. But, do not think for one second it was not deserved... I was a 19D in my times in the Army and all we did was made possible by our support troops. I didn't see it then, but as I was getting promotions I realized that our vehicles are useless without proper maintenance, our weapons can not be fixed without and armorer, our meal would not be hot without an operating kitchen, potable water etc. etc.....
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The "combat patch" recognizes a Soldier's service in a combat zone...not for performing actual direct combat operations (infantry, engineers, artillery et al). Get over your guilt and self doubt; and get in uniform with the patch on you right shoulder - Soldier.
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