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The Army is the only service to wear unit and combat patches? Should they simplify the uniform and remove unit patches? "shoulder sleeve insignia".
I understand in some uniforms services may wear a patch. I'm talking about the every day uniform.
I understand in some uniforms services may wear a patch. I'm talking about the every day uniform.
Posted in these groups: 
Uniforms
Uniforms
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 102
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My shadow box is lined not only with the personal awards and decorations of my career, but every single unit patch I ever wore. Every one of those units, and the people in them contributed to my career. When I take trips down memory lane those patches help me to remember the past.
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Ask the Air Force how they felt when unit patches were removed from their uniforms. Most of the USAF personnel I speak with miss their patches. In the Army this is a time honored tradition and it was pioneered by the Army. WWI was the advent of the Combat patch and it was the Army who developed it. Just like our switch back to the ASU. There is more history associated with this uniform. I even feel that NCO stripes should go back to the Civil War style that the marine band wears.
By the 1860's the Federal Army had had nearly ninety years to become large and diversified. Enlisted rank insignia, too, had become large and diversified. Chevrons covering the entire outer sleeve, in...
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MAJ Samuel Weber
My father and grand father are both retired USAF. They hated the change as well. My Dad still talks about his old squadron and wing patches...
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Personally I'm hoping that the Air Force will bring back unit patches on our ABUs. Aircrew still wear patches on flight suits, but we non-flyers lost our patches when we lost our BDUs. I never understood why we changed.
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
I was out by the time they changed alll the services uniforms and I understand the pride you men and women had belonging to the different units. I have a utility jacket with some patches I’m proud to wear.. including the U.S. Air Force tape and my name tape and a Rapid Deployment patch and AF Command patches(SAC, TAC and MAC). I had a guy say s’thing about my RDF patch.. that I’m not allowed to have it.. (supposed to turn it in)
I didn’t say anything.. just kept on walking.. seen him another time and he commented again.. So he takes his pocket knife out and is going to attempt to cut it off.. that was his mistake.. his arm got busted twice and his knife blade too. Had to go to court.. I won..
self defense.. He tried to bring up why and the judge said take it up with Fed marshal and not taking law into your own hands. I could of sued him.. he had my court cost and his own to pay.. and his medical.. I was good to go.. I felt.bad busting his arm .. but he wouldn’t give up.. I couldn’t help he developed brittle bone prob.. He doesn’t mess with me anymore..
and some others don’t bring it up..
I appreciate those that leave it alone... and go on their way..
I didn’t say anything.. just kept on walking.. seen him another time and he commented again.. So he takes his pocket knife out and is going to attempt to cut it off.. that was his mistake.. his arm got busted twice and his knife blade too. Had to go to court.. I won..
self defense.. He tried to bring up why and the judge said take it up with Fed marshal and not taking law into your own hands. I could of sued him.. he had my court cost and his own to pay.. and his medical.. I was good to go.. I felt.bad busting his arm .. but he wouldn’t give up.. I couldn’t help he developed brittle bone prob.. He doesn’t mess with me anymore..
and some others don’t bring it up..
I appreciate those that leave it alone... and go on their way..
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Not at all. I have been in the Army for just over 11 years and spend 4 years with the 2nd Infantry Division and 6 1/2 years with the 1st Infantry Division. I have deployed 3 times with my unit in 1ID and am proud to wear my unit patch. There is a lot of history in unit patches and we should not forget about that history. I went on a tour of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge area in June/July of 2012 and was able to see the memorials dedicated to the amazing units. It made me even more proud to wear my patch. <div><br></div><div>While the Army may be the only unit to wear unit patches on their shoulders, I have seen other branches wearing unit patches. I recently took a tour of USS New Mexico and they wore their ship patch on their left breast pocket. I have even seen Air Force wearing unit patches in the past. </div>
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Absolutely not! In fact, we should be able to wear our SSI (shoulder sleeve insignia), and SSI-FWTS (shoulder sleeve insignia - former wartime service, ie combat patch) on our ASUs, not just a $13.00 CSIB (Combat Service Identification Badge) on our breast pocket. The patches spark spontaneous comaraderie with vets from current prior conflicts. The CSIB just gets lost in the 'bling' on the front of the Class As.
While we're at it, the Army should bring back branch insignia on the duty uniform (ACU/Multi-Cam Scorpion/whatever) for officers. If I have a demolitions or fortifications question, I want to see a castle on his/her duty uniform. If I want to talk small unit tactics, they'd better have crossed rifles, or better yet, crossed arrows. Paperwork - the admin shield, and so on...
While we're at it, the Army should bring back branch insignia on the duty uniform (ACU/Multi-Cam Scorpion/whatever) for officers. If I have a demolitions or fortifications question, I want to see a castle on his/her duty uniform. If I want to talk small unit tactics, they'd better have crossed rifles, or better yet, crossed arrows. Paperwork - the admin shield, and so on...
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No way should they get rid of patches. In an Army of clones (uniform, grooming standards, language, actions), the patch (and the name tag) are just a couple of items that allow someone to be an individual - to a degree. It also, shows that an individual is part of a larger unit team (which is a part of the largest U.S. Army team). Hopefully there's pride in the unit patch that adorns a Soldier's uniform...
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No.
Unit patches are historic, tradition, morale boosting, and a source of pride. To take that away would be a mistake in my opinion.
Unit patches are historic, tradition, morale boosting, and a source of pride. To take that away would be a mistake in my opinion.
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SGT (Join to see)
I'm assuming you're referring to combat patches, otherwise your statement makes absolutely zero sense in context. So assuming that, and speaking as a combat medic who when deployed was outside the wire on a nearly daily basis, why shouldn't it make "REMF's" feel good?
Combat arms couldn't do their jobs without guys that have no reason to go outside the wire, and they too should take pride in their combat patch. They earned it, and NCOs like you who demean that need to re-examine what type of leader you are.
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When I went from Army to Air Force, I lost my patches. I lost my "unit affiliation". I ENJOY looking at patches because it tells me where you are now and if there is a combat patch, who you were a part of. It is ALMOST a date/time stamp. In my opinion, that is one of the downfalls of the Air Force.....no unit "unity" based on affiliation demonstrated by a patch.
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SFC (Join to see)
To clarify for SPC Gasho, per regulations, setting foot in a declared combat zone is all that is required to wear a SSI-FWTS, or "combat patch." There is no specific time in theater requirement, although most units will wait approximately 30 days before doing a patch ceremony to award unit combat patches to Soldiers.
The CIB, however, is another matter. Per AR 600-8-22, to be awarded the CIB a Soldier must meet the following criteria:
1. Be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties.
2. Be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat.
3. Actively engage the enemy in ground combat.
As of 18 September 2001, the criteria has been amended to read, "a Soldier must be an Army Infantry or Special Forces officer (SSI 11 or 18) in the grade of Colonel or below, or an Army enlisted Soldier or warrant officer with an Infantry or Special Forces MOS, who has satisfactorily performed duty while assigned or attached as a member of an infantry, ranger or special forces unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size during any period such unit was engaged in active ground combat, to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires. A Soldier must be personally present and under fire while serving in an assigned Infantry or Special Forces primary duty, in a unit engaged in active ground combat, to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires."
Again, this is just for clarification purposes, not meant to sharpshoot in any way.
The CIB, however, is another matter. Per AR 600-8-22, to be awarded the CIB a Soldier must meet the following criteria:
1. Be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties.
2. Be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat.
3. Actively engage the enemy in ground combat.
As of 18 September 2001, the criteria has been amended to read, "a Soldier must be an Army Infantry or Special Forces officer (SSI 11 or 18) in the grade of Colonel or below, or an Army enlisted Soldier or warrant officer with an Infantry or Special Forces MOS, who has satisfactorily performed duty while assigned or attached as a member of an infantry, ranger or special forces unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size during any period such unit was engaged in active ground combat, to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires. A Soldier must be personally present and under fire while serving in an assigned Infantry or Special Forces primary duty, in a unit engaged in active ground combat, to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires."
Again, this is just for clarification purposes, not meant to sharpshoot in any way.
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SFC (Join to see)
I say no......Its part of ar army heritage.... Its also a helpful Ice breaker getting to a new unit if you recognize a familiar patch.
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Absolutely not. Unit patches are basically to show other units where your from. Combat patches for me show you've been deployed and its a sense of pride. I haven't met a slick sleeve yet that isn't jealous or feel less of a soldier for not having one which just about everyone in my unit and Battalion for that matter have been deployed several times. I proudly wear my combat patch and CAB. Only soldiers who haven't been deployed would want to get rid of them
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Definitely not. I miss it. When we switched to ABU it was a pretty lame. Unit patches are a source of pride and great conversation starters.
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