Should we remove combat patches to be sensitive to those who don't have them?

So, if we remove the patches, do we also remove the hash marks? How about service bars? The whole point is to give credit where credit is due. One of the best things about the US Military uniforms is that one can see the experience of each individual because their service is acknowledged by the shoulder patches, awards and hash marks on their sleeve. It's one of the things that makes us all one family.

It’s not a “Participation Trophy” Sweetheart.

Combat patches should definitely be optional, as I know quite a few soldiers that were embarrassed to wear the ones authorized; but, the wearing of them should never be dismissed for wokeness. A young soldier will more likely respect what is told him/her by a person wearing one than not.

Those soldiers earned those patches. If you stay in long enough you’ll have a chance too.

Combat patches have become "participation symbols". It doesn't matter if you were a direct combatant or a unit clerk, supply clerk, etc. (REMF, as we used to refer to them as), you get to wear the patch. It has been that way for too many years. So what makes a Basic or AIT cadre member that is only looking for advancement to begin with to volunteer for "DI" to flaunt a combat patch if they were never close enough to combat to hear a gunshot or IED going off? The new soldiers are not being left out because they don't have the patch...unless of course the REMF cadre thinks they are something special because they have one. This is coming from a retired senior NCO who is fed up with the military members who thrive on the "Thank You for your service" narrative. If they need pats on the back for being patriotic, they shouldn't be in the service of their country to begin with.

This is an idiotic policy. Absolutely no one with a combat patch should be required to remove that symbol of their experience.

From one private who has been somewhere to those who have not been through training yet: Stop whining! You gotta earn those patches!

Combat patches are earned!
Im sorry that they feel left out but I shouldn't have to give up my patches because of their feeligs!

By this logic, all the Zoomies who "deployed" to Ali Al Saleem or wherever for 90 days should be issued a bronze star because it's not fair that they didn't get shot at.

Honestly? Is this a real thing or is someone pulling a stunt? You earn your rank badges right, should some no rank fuzz butt get to wear Senior Chief anchors cuz he/she/it is jealous or feels undervalued? You earn your ribbons, you earn your rank, you earn your qualification devices - you display them on your uniform to proclaim your achievements and your authority.... This has just got to be a badly written sea story (or dirt story I guess)

That is like having a participation trophy, no one has the right to take away something they earn; because someone doesn’t have a combat patch. They want credit for something they haven’t done. We didn’t join for recognition, but serve our country.

You have to be "ing" kidding me. Pershing is likely rolling over in his grave over this one.

NO! They do not have combat patches because they were never in a combat zone. Honor those that served in combat zones, don't make them hide this to appease the memebers that have never seen combat or been overseas. Their attitude is childish.

Seriously? I did 6 active and 27 Reserves. I had my Vietnam combat patch on my shoulder. Once I had a Captain tell me it was unauthorized. Later that day in a company in ranks inspection, I actually had a. General doing the inspection. He stopped at me, asked a couple questions, with the Captain trailing. The General actually took two steps back and saluted me. He turned to the Captain and said were very fortunate to have such brave dedicated soldiers, and I wouldn’t have known that had he not been wearing that patch.

We should punish soldiers who earned combat recognition? Who are these new soldiers, two year olds? They need to but on their grownup pants. Their day will come.

Get out there and get it done, whatever "it" is...we don't work for ribbons, we work for results, and it is not always a front line position. They sound like they don't have their heads or their hearts in the game, put them on the bench, send them to the showers, or send them home.

Why don’t we just remove our rank too and call your CO Bob!

No way! I earned mine and proud of it!

All this "sensitivity" in our society, but especially in the military is total bull. Letting it infiltrate the military is ludicrous ... service men & woman are supposed to be immune to such lame, weakminded garbage. If I earned a combat patch and was told not to wear it for the sake of some weanie's feelings, I honestly think I'd laugh ... then ask to see a regulation, OR refer to the regulation about wearing patches. In short, I'd probably insist on the right to keep wearing it.
Leaders need to strive to keep any vestige of "woke" OUT of the military. What the heck is happening to the warrior ethos?

If they have their feelings hurt because they don't have a combat patch, tell them to ignore the cardinal rule of "never volunteer for anything" and be the first to volunteer the next time the unit is scheduled to deploy. Having been in a war zone, I would also caution them to "be careful what you wish for"!

Ah, NO,WTF the BN Cmdr thinking

No problem, throw out tradition, respect honor and everything we hold most dear along with it. Let just rack up core values and respect to our elders as well. Notice a curve downward yet, just wait.

No

On the flip side, some of us will never have an acknowledgement to particular services. Simply because of the classified nature. So E1's and E2's stop bitching for nothing.

It should not matter to the new greenhorns!
We deployed, We were in a COMBAT THEATRE, We did our tour there, We Came Back Home Safely and Returned to our units, And WE Earned our spot to be classified as a COMBAT SOLDIER!
They should have No discord about that because eventually, they will get their chance also! AND YOU LITTLE STIFFS BETTER NOT TRY TO WEASEL OR CHICKEN OUT OF A DEPLOYMENT EITHER!! IT'S WHAT YOU SIGNED ON THE DOTTED LINE FOR TOO!

Does it make sense that if you worked 500+ hours to receive recognition for hard work and received an award for your work, that your little brother receives the same award for your work? The answer would be obvious, but we as humans do not think about the state of others around us, we only think about ourselves. To remove the Combat patch (which specifically is designed to recognize those that have been deployed and thus giving recognition to those that have experience that the army can use to pass down) resembles that we are adhering more to emotion than we are to a proper logical approach to maintaining a good fighting force. I know it's cliche to say, but the enemy will not care how we "feel" when in battle, and the enemy will utilize our weaknesses against us (just as we do against them). While E1s and E2s feel "left out" what should be replaced with that is the motivation to succeed when the chance comes to them, rather than feel dis-satisfied that they do not have something they have not earned yet. The military force should not focus primarily on providing satisfaction to those who join - we all sign the dotted line to give our lives in the defense of the nation. There are incentives, and rewards, and experience to be obtained and earned, but life is not easy or fair to everyone, and those that think that it's unfair that something as simple as a combat patch (which is not about them, it's about those who have earned it and how the experience has help them progress in their own career and life experience) should remember that not everyone can join the military in the first place, and that becoming part of the military is already an achievement that 90% of the population will never do, which has it's own accolades. But it doesn't stop there, and the more experience you want to achieve, the more you can earn in respect and experience, so go out there and earn it, instead of complaining you don't have something that you have not earned yet.

I do not have a combat patch. I never felt left out by soldiers with combat patches. We all worked together. The Cold War Era soldiers understood and honored those who had seen the bear. The new generation needs to understand that this is not modern kiddie sports where everyone gets a participation certificate...

WTF? Nope, And hell no. What you earn is yours. I’ve never heard of this. I have seen unit specific patches only allowed at specific units or while assigned to specific units. Whoever said go join the AF, must be a bit long in the tooth. We are everywhere baby. I love the banter. You May have more from one component or another, but combat loves em all. That’s how it is now, in case you didn’t know. Lol

So I’m sure they don’t have airborne wings, aerosol wings, CA be, they have to earn it. They’ll be just fine in the sensitive army we have today. Lol

I remember when i first enlisted and saw who did and did not have Combat patches. It was an honor if you had one. In my opinion tough cookies if you dont have one. Those who had one earned them and those who didn't strive to earn one. It is what it is and in my opinion NO LEADER has the right to take it away. I think it was wrong of the leadership to do it.