Posted on Apr 16, 2019
SFC(P) Senior Drill Sergeant
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Backstory: Soldier went in country (Iraq) for 6 days and went back to Kuwait. He now feels entitled to be able to wear a "combat patch" (his words not mine). Regulation states must be 30 days in country (combat zone; not Kuwait anymore) to qualify for a deployment patch.

((UPDATE)): I just learned from several people AR 670-1 has been updated to reflect that the amount of days boots on ground no longer matters. Most up-to-date AR 670-1 states:

"The military operation must have lasted for a period of 30 days or longer" (i.e. OIF, OIR, etc...)

"Soldiers of all Army components (Active, ARNG, and USAR) who deploy during periods of service designated for wear of the SSI–FWTS are authorized to wear a SSI–FWTS. There are no time-in-theater requirements for authoriza-tion to wear the SSI–FWTS. Soldiers may not earn more than one SSI–FWTS during the same deployment."

The Soldier can wear his deployment patch and I already let him know I made a mistake. Leaders make mistakes but it's how we fix or respond to those mistakes that matter. Good learning experience. Thank you to everyone who provided constructive feedback.
Edited 6 y ago
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CW3 Kevin Storm
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Combat Patches for soldiers is hard enough to figure out, it gets even more complicated for soldiers who served with Marine Units, Marines who left their service and joined the Army Reserve or National Guard who think they are authorized a combat patch, and aren't, but see Soldiers wearing Marine Patches that may be authorized (I say maybe, as the last time I read 670-1 it was for those who were attached to Marines for the first 30 days of the Invasion, not for the next ten years. But some USMC Commander gave them orders so now it must be legal). it does get confusing and really it should be more cut and dry then it is.
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Sgt Ivan Boatwright
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I joined the SF national guard unit after Nam for about one and one-half years. I receive a combat infantry badge from them. They said my time in Nam as a marine counted. I felt uncomfortable wearing it because of who I had served with. After the fall of Nam, I threw all the medals away.
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GySgt Joy Parrish
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Yikes! I had that happen on an Iraq deployment in 2005. I rated a USMC combat patch because I was USMC when I earned it, downrange and deployed during the Gulf War in 1991. I wore it. A Ssg in my unit was attached to a USMC unit for a week and came back wearing their combat patch. The BC ripped it off of his sleeve in my presence. Ssg started to complain that because I wore a 2dMarDiv patch, he could as well. BC set him straight. I don't understand why the Army is slacking on the requirements now, maybe because combat awards, in general, are slacking and slow in coming?
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SSG Richard Brue
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Something doesn't sound right about that, but the best way to make sure you right is to go talk to JAG about it.
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PO1 Anthony Sam
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Gee that's a Tough One "Not" as senior elinsted take the person aside in private & speak to them about it & then tell to remove not a tough descion & I have been retired almost 20yrs.
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SSG Eric Blue
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Thanks for the update. I earned multiple patches during my first deployment. While I was still in, I wore whichever one I felt like wearing that day. However, if I saw a soldier (rank immaterial) whom I KNEW was wearing a combat patch, badge, or other item I KNOW they didn't earn, I'd call them out on it. Rank junior to me, immediate action. Rank senior to me, remind them of their commitment to "do what's right, legally and morally." Often times, I'd get told (insert expletive or derogatory comment here) and that would make me either email them a copy of the section of the regulation that pertains to the particular infraction, show them a hard copy of the section, or in the most extreme cases, take it up with their senior. All because you outrank me doesn't mean I won't tell you that you're wrong, nor will it stop me from reminding you that these junior soldiers who want to be leaders one day are looking at you for the right example. If you fail them on the little things, who's to say that you won't fail on the big things? (Yes, I've seen it happen...and lost troops because of it.)
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LtCol Paul Bowen
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The so-called Soldier is in violation of Art. 134 “Service Discrediting Conduct” and “Conduct Contrary to the Good Order & Discipline of the Armed Services”.

Jack this one up with a Charge Sheet. When it shows up in the Art. 15 Hearing the outcome needs to be reduction in rank, forfeiture of pay and confinement to barracks.

Suspend the punishment for 3 months. That way when he defies Army Regulations again, the suspension is vacated and you get to bust, fine & confine all over again.

Everyone who works with this guy knows he is a wannabe dirtbag. If the Command doesn’t address it, then the C.O. is obviously weak and should be replaced. If the measures are followed, the other 98% of the Organization will not want to screw up.

Also, Administratively Separate the malcontent for failure to adapt to the military lifestyle.
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1LT Human Resources Officer
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5 y
Sir what he did was authorized. Even the author came back and said he discovered he was wrong in his initial guidance.
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LtCol Paul Bowen
LtCol Paul Bowen
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I stand corrected. Anyone else pretending to recognition they did not earn, you jack them up via UCMJ.
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SGM Harvey Boone
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If everything else fails go by the Regs, after all that's what they are for. DAPAM 31-10 will never let you down tells where you can find anything.
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Louis Williams
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Active duty soldiers are processed to wear any and all declarations applied to and/or sewn into their dress attire and sewn in declarations are on all military attire. Declarations worn on a military uniform any other way is a fraud, disrespect to the uniform, and dealt with at the discretion of anyone who observes it although a formal action is to report it to your next chain of command when you are not a commissioned officer yourself.
I say the perpetrator is the merchant who sells military paraphernalia in their store, it shouldn't be allowed at least medals and awards that soldiers risk life and limb to receive.
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SSG Dennis Mendoza
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So I have met an individual that brags about being a combat expert to the platoon, but I have seen his ERB and the only overseas I seen on there is Korea overseas. He claims he was deployed to Iraq but I didn't see the Iraq campaign. I think situation like that are a bit depressing because young soldiers look up to individuals like that.
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