Should the Army do away with unit patches?

Like many other discussion threads, this one form goes back to history, lineage, pride... Your unit patch allows you to connect instantly with someone, for some cases it can tell a lot about them (82nd, 101st, Rangers, etc.)....it's such a simple thing that can say so much...for instance - I was leading a funeral detail outside of Huston Texas for a WWII veteran who served in 1ID, my team and I were from 3d BCT, 1ID, when the spouse saw the Big Red One marching over to perform the burial there was an instant connection (and a flood of emotion and tears). Now this was by pure coincidence that this happened, but recognize the significance and connection made in that simple moment, of a detail of Soldiers marching across a cemetery with a familiar piece of cloth on their shoulder! I think this closes out the discussion - Doc J OUT!

No way in hell. Unit pride is a great thing, and having your unit patch on your arm is an awesome thing. Command Ball Caps and Belt Buckles are things of pride in the Navy.

Not just no, but hell no! It's bad enough they took the red out of the Big Red One, but the history of the Army is all about the history of the units.

It also lets people know if you've deployed or not... One of the proudest moments in my life was receiving my cav patch to put on my empty shoulder and then being able to replace it with 4-70 AR patch that is no longer around since the unit was disbanded. So in my opinion its a big NO! keep the patches!

Not only should they not do away with them, they should start wearing them on the dress uniforms again, on the shoulders.
Along with qual tabs.

Obviously I agree with just about everyone and say, no we should not do away with unit patches but I have a different reason. Of course there is esprit-de-corps but I also learned in Afghanistan that the enemy looks for our unit patches to see who they are fighting with. Early in the War in Afghanistan the enemy thought twice about engaging a unit if they saw an 82nd Airborne patch. Again, in 2005, in Iraq our unit intercepted a radio transmission to the effect of "these are paratroopers, not Marines, we need more help". I don't say that to put down Marines but that the enemy knew the AA shoulder patch and was fearful because of it.

no way it is called unity for a reason and patches are a part of that. I hate that the Army went to the new uniforms and boots now there is less Self Pride or Unit pride in my eyes so take away patches no in my book.

no way, I love wearing my unit patch, even in units i don't like being in, it helps identify a person with the mission they support, the command they belong to and other things. As for the combat patch, again, no way, that helps soldiers bond and connect, i cannot count the number of people who made friends/connections solely off of a common combat patch.

I think unit patches should stay for the reason you stated in your question, "The Army is the only service to wear unit and combat patches".

I would like to see an additional patch for the BN, like the patches we wore in Aviation units. We have Company patches worn over our name tapes on flight uniforms.

Attached is an example of what I mean, the red and white patch over his name tape.

Absolutely not! I served in several different units over 24 years and am proud to have served in all of them. The unit patch provides identity and contributes to unit pride and comradery.

I'm confused on why they would be eliminated. In fact, I've wondered often why the Army is the only branch that uses them.

Keep them on the uniform

No absolutely not. My husband is AD Army. We are currently in KMC and he loves seeing someone with a 1st CAV patch. It is like a conversation starter. I am prior Navy so it is a little bit different. We have a rocker (on our whites) instead of a huge patch. I don't really know what the new Navy uniforms look like so I am not sure if they have unit patches on them or not.

The mighty 89th Military Police Brigade patch will never leave my uniform! I am proud to wear my unit patch. Keep the unit patch! Whoa!

The Navy brought back "ball caps" which pretty much serve the same purpose as unit patches. When Soldiers run into each other in ACUs (and in the past, BDUs/DCUs), usually the first thing looked at after rank is the patch. Soldiers do wear both SSI and SSI-FWTS with pride, and that is something that we want to foster.

The Army could do away with unit patches on sleeves and go the Air Force route .... Let's all get funky patches and start wearing organizational baseball caps!

Bonus: we can have unit individuality down to the battalion level!

There is pride, and a lot of history, associated with unit patches. Being able to wear the patch of a storied unit, like the 101st, 82nd, 1st ID, etc., means a lot to me, and has been a source of pride over the last 18 years. To be able to add to the history of these units and know that I wore the same patch that veterans of previous wars and conflicts wore means a lot to me. So I, for one, do not ever think we should do away with unit patches.

No.

All allowing REMF's to wear unit PATCH'S does is allow REMF's to move one step closer to STOLEN VALOR, W/O crossing the line. I didn't wake up one morning and have an I hate REMF's epiphany, It happened because, The best war stories I've ever heard came from people who could produce a patch and nothing more.

I don't believe that the Army should do away with either the division or combat patches. For me wearing a division patch was a symbol of pride. Not for or in myself but for the divisions history.