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.

I had to at least answer the poll here because just the subject line made me laugh. Did this actually happen, or are you just trolling us? Like, I question that something this idiotic would ever happen.

Then again, I've seen a lifetime of stupid actions, so maybe it's actually believable.

These soldiers earned their combat patches, you want one you go earn it. Smh some people! Ridiculous

That is absolutely f*ing hilarious! Thank you so much!

Come back, sit them down, stroke their back, ask them how they feel, hold their hand and ever so softly scream at the top of lungs SUCK IT UP!! And pass them a butthurt card to fill out while doing dead cockroaches!!

They did something similar when we had to have change of command... Getting in our dress blues. Everyone was to not wear our ribbons/medals. They story we got was the officers were intimidated by many of us enlisted. We had been in and had served! Sorry many of the officers didn't.

My answers to your questions - Suck it up! Wear what you have and stand tall!

NO! Earn like we all did!!

I first thought this was a troll, but my God, it appears to be for real. Can a BCT even order that without permission from the Chief of Staff of the Army? Per Army Regulation 670-1, Soldiers are authorized to wear the combat patch of their higher headquarters. The patch is a testimony of sacrifice and loyalty to the individual's unit, the Army, and part of a rich Army tradition. When I was active duty and deployed to the NTC in 1987, there weren't too many combat patches around. So, as a young officer, I had the occasion to work around two senior NCOs from the 101st with double eagles, 101st combat patches and that was there current unit. It didn't make me feel bad or left out, it made me want to aspire to get one.

No, as someone that served post Vietnam, and during the times of the Panama Invasion and Desert Sheild/Desert Storm but did not participate in any of these operations I did not wear a combat patch. Feelings should never come into play in the military as to whether someone wears what has been earned.

E-1s & E-2s don't have combat patches and they are crying about their brothers and sisters that wear the ones they earned. I have been out of the military longer than you have been alive. Maybe twice as long. I can tell you this: when I was serving, if I would have brought up an issue like this, my life would have been hell. This is like asking a person with a Purple Heart not to wear their ribbon because you haven't had a chance to get shot. Jumping Jehosaphat!

How about servicemembers making fun and using terms like "slick sleeve" to those who dont have a combat patch. We all volunteered by freely joining, know the consequences. The vast majority who have deployed, were made to. While I'm glad they made it back, talking negative about fellow service members who havent gone down range is wrong imo.

Asking a soldier to remove a combat patch to spare a privates feelings, is as stupid as asking a purple heart recipient to remove his ribbon. I would be curious to know how many whiny twinkle toed "non-combat patch wearing" officers and in the command making the decision. Why don'twe ask our enemies to stop using bullets while we're at it, wouldn'twant the new privates feelings hurt when his chest explodes.

Sensitivity to those that haven’t earned one. Maybe we should dissolve the military because it’s too sensitive to do anything. Friggin give me a break, all you non committed military, let’s make everyone equal, can go suck an egg. I earned my badges with a lot of sweat, stress and commitment to my country. If you don’t like that we show our badges with honor idea then get out of the military.

You got to be kidding me. What stupid commander ordered their removal? Besides regulations authorize their ware. Is this a legitimate incident or something just to stir things up?

That is the problem with today's military your to weak. Don't worry about Joe shit feelings be soldiers

No!! We joined the army to go to war not to run away from them!!

You're grown up now, time to realize participation trophies don't exist in the real world.

I can’t believe this is even a consideration! Those soldiers were in a combat zone and earned the patch! What’s next, everyone get a expert marksman badge just for being able to fire a weapon!

Combat vets get the CIB, people who go to jump school get wings people who are wounded get a purple heart. People earn what they wear with pride now we have younger people who went to school where everyone gets a trophy. This is life and you earn what you receive and wear it with pride.

Doing so would be worse than the decision to remove soldiers branch insignia which was another REMFs way to "be equal" to others. Some dumb arse probably got promoted or awarded for that decision too.

The patch is earned, Not awarded. So it would be a "cold day in hell" before I would let anyone tell me I had to take it off. As for the new soldiers, too bad. We all were new at one time and we didn't have what others had. It just gave us all something work for. We never cried about it. We just went on being soldiers. And one more thing, a soldier can not a combat award: i.e. CIB, CAB, CFMB., without wearing a combat patch. So did they make the soldiers take apart their entire uniform?

Screw the little entitled whiners - they are to aspire to have the things that are rewards and identification of those who have been there and done that - they are to aspire to be worthy of being included and welcomed into the company of those who 'Cut-It' by virtue of their accomplishing the exact same thing!. They left their feelings at the door of Boot Camp, if we can even call it that these days - Tough SH!T !!!

Stupid question. Of course not.

Just like basic now! Everyone gets the Army patch to feel like they are someone! In basic training we had a couple of reclassified troops come in! E-4’s and an E-5, all three had combat patches! We looked up to those fuckers! We have thought of having them remove what they earned, plus when we had Class A inspections they had ribbons and awards. Not once did anyone think that these fine soldiers remove items off their uniforms! They earned them so they wore them! That’s the issue now days, soldiers are getting butt hurt over the wrong things!

Negative! A SSI-FWS is as much an earned patch or badge as any skill badge or tab, even more so when you think about it. It stands as proof that a Soldier has undertaken the most daunting task one can, engaging the enemy in combat. The Army's job is to fight and win wars, and the SSI-FWS signifies that. None of those junior enlisted, non-deployed Soldiers would be enthusiastic about it going the other way, if they earned a special skill badge or tab and were ordered to remove it from their daily uniform because other Soldiers, NCOs and Officers played the "I don't feel included" card.

What a crock of PC BS. Some pudding packing pc liberal must have been offended.

What you earn you should proudly wear! Taking patches off to keep the new snowflakes from feeling left out is similar to asking a power hitter to strike out on purpose when the new rookie pitcher is on the mound. Give me a break!!!

It's like an award that one is awarded in a Theater of Operations. It's like removing a Ribbon that you earned but no one else has been awarded it. Is our service members starting to get a participation award because they are Butt hurt that they didn't get a trophy?

It's an honor to have received the coveted C.I.B.. so, what do you think my answer is?

Good God No!!!! Sensitivity is for 1st graders, not the military.

Should you remove your rank because junior Soldiers do not have the same grade.

When are boys going to grow up and be like men. If you want it you have to earn it. What's our military coming to. 1979 - 1983.

No fucking way! Those were earned by you and they should be warn proudly! Is this a joke? Taking patches off so people don’t feel left out?! What kind of military is this? Things have sure changed since I was in. Wow.......

What’s next? It’s not fair that E7’s make more money than E1’s?

Let me answer the question with a question, "Should those who have earned awards, decorations or additional skill identifiers not wear them on their uniforms out of respect for those who do not have/have not earned them?" How absurd! If you've earned it - wear it!

No If they want a combat patch maybe they need to volunteer for a unit going to combat then they could have one.

OMG Nancy,
That's it I'm done here.

No

Proud alumnus of Big Red One and 1st Cavalry. You’re gonna ask me not wear something I earned?
Is this like the cowardly Captain in the 1st Cav who plagiarized my flight log and awarded himself 3 of my Air Medals and the Army Aviation Badge because I wasn’t career and he didn’t think it mattered to me?

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT!! WHAT THE FUCK??? Since when did Tinky Winky (tella tubbys) join the Army and get a fucking command? These people were deployed in a combat area... if you are new and you don't have one, fucking respect those that do, and get the fuck over it!!! SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUPS!!
You think I was upset when I joined a unit and didn't have combat patch from Vietnam? NO! But damned right I respected and thanked everyone I saw serving that had one! WOW! This is just one of the signs that is telling me the Army is getting weak!!!

"Drill Sgt.! I can't do push ups! My Emotional State isn't in the right mood right now!" *HEAD DESK HARD!*

No! I've never been deployed but I would never want to take that away from someone who has, people need to stop getting butthurt over it!

No

It should be explained to the sensitive soldiers that you receive when you have completed a combat tour. What's next? Issue the same soldiers medals and awards so they are not left out because CSM has 20lbs of metal on his/her chest?

MSG Wally Carmichael Hell no!!!! Those of you that have been in combat deserve everything we can give you. When I coached my sons little league football the parents got toghter and voted that every kid gets a trophy. I quit as coach and pulled my son out and sent him to Jr. High school football where he really excelled.

I worked hard for my patches. I don't care if their feelings are hurt because they need to grow up. What they should do is look up to the people wearing a combat patch for their experiences and knowledge.

Those who earn those patches should wear them with pride; if others are offended by them, that's their problem, NOT the responsibility of the ones wearing the patches! It's the offended who need an attitude adjustment, and catering to their feelings will not accomplish the desired result! Indeed, such "delicate feelings" realistically have no place in the military! What's next? Removing rank/rate insignias so as to not hurt their "feelings", because they're subordinate to others???

I've been retired for well over 13 years now and I'm seriously beginning to wonder about what I used to be apart of!!

HELL NO.
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