Wearing a CAB without deployment patch

There isn't a reg covering that, but wearing a badge you get for being in combat without a unit patch saying you were deployed to a combat zone does look suspicious. And with the amount of stolen valor out there today, it's not without reason.

Why would put yourself in this position? If you are going to take the time to put your CAB on why not take the extra 4 seconds to put your combat patch on regardless if the reg says you have to wear both together or not?

No such rule. Someone just had free time and likes to make corrections. It is probably a pet peeve vs a rule. The only thing you have to wear is name tag, US Army, US flag and current unit patch.

As an Inspector General NCO, I love seeing these type of spirited debates. It's an eye-opener to see the many viewpoints that different Soldiers and their commands may hold on topics like the one currently being discussed. It's amazing how often regulatory guidance is ignored and replaced with personal feelings and pet peeves. I appreciate the different points of view. It helps me to better understand these issues when they are brought to me and better understand Leader's mindsets. Very interesting post.

Like everyone said it's not technically wrong, but in addition to regulations you need to look at post policies. I know Ft. Campbell or at least 3rd BDE has a policy that you will wear your 101st deployment patch over any other unit you deployed with, if you have deployed with 101st. My SCO put out that you will wear your CAB if you earned one. It depends. It's up to command sometimes.

I have been off of the boards here for a bit, but it seems like every time I get on I find another one of these types of posts that really make me question what folks are doing in their spare time.

No, you will not find in any regulation anything stating that you have to wear your CAB and combat patch together, because they are both awards and it has ALWAYS been the Servicemember's discretion of what items they wish to wear. Combat patches are not REQUIRED to be worn, nor are any badges.

Please, I am not advocating that anyone spend their nights reading AR 670-1, but if you are going to CHEW SOMEONE OUT, at least have seen it in writing first...

I knew a few people who could wear just about any combat patch they wanted. In the days of BDU's it was downright hilarious. Every day a different combat patch. It reminded me of Heartbreak Ridge when Gunney Highway showed up to every PT session in a new shirt.

It is a SSI-FWTS, not a deployment patch. That is something Naval personnel will sometimes produce locally for a sea deployment. You can be deployed and not be qualified for a SSI-FWTS.

DAPAM 670-1 para 21–17. Shoulder sleeve insignia-former wartime service
a. Authorization to wear a SSI indicating FWTS applies only to Soldiers who are/were assigned to U.S. Army units that meet all the following criteria outlined in AR 670–1.
b. The SSI–FWTS is worn as follows:
(1) Nonsubdued. At the option of the wearer, individuals who were members of an Army unit during one of the operations listed in AR 670–1 may wear the nonsubdued U.S. Army organizational SSI of a wartime unit that was approved by HQDA on the right sleeve of the Army green uniform coat. The insignia is worn centered, 1/2 inch below the top of the shoulder seam.
(2) Subdued. Authorized personnel may wear the subdued SSI–FWTS on the right sleeve centered both vertically and horizontally from the bottom of the pocket flap to the bottom of the pocket on the hook-and-loop-faced pad already provided on the utility uniforms or field jacket (see fig 21–133). The SSI–FWTS is not authorized for wear on organizational uniforms, except as prescribed in this paragraph.
c. Soldiers who are authorized to wear more than one SSI–FWTS have the option of choosing which SSI–FWTS they will wear. Soldiers may also elect not to wear a SSI–FWTS.

Now it says optional, however it can be a local commander's policy to wear a SSI-FWTS. It can also be a local commander's wear policy to wear badges. I would tell you that not wearing both together will invite questions and confrontations.

I was not able to find a linkage in AR 670-1, DA PAM 670-1, nor AR 600-8-22 that says a soldier must wear a SSI-FWTS and a CAB, if so awarded.

I usually do not wear any of my badges or deployment patch, due to the fact that I know what I have accomplished and I do not need to impress anyone

I don't believe there is a reg stating you have to wear the patch. BUT, if you wear the CAB but not in conjunction with the patch, you may as well paint a giant bulls-eye right on your chest. Either put the patch on or take the CAB off. Either way, you will want to get out of that line of fire most rikky tik

Again, the Army is so patch-based they argue about petty things. If you earned it wear it if you wish. If you didn't or don't want to wear it then don't.

Am I the only one who see's the human in the choice of words? "Hemmed up."
Oh yea and to answer the question, just move out and draw fire. No big deal, you just looked weird to anyone who's been in the Army for a day. He was right to question you.

I have been authorized to wear several SSI-FWTS and have always chosen my 82nd patch from Grenada. I ran across this same issue many years ago when I was wearing my first CIB without the patch. That was even before the below ALTRAC message. There is nothing in the regulations that state a Combat Skill Badge "Must" be worn with the SSI-FWTS identifier. Please correct me if I am wrong, it will not be the first time.

ALARACT 030/2005 para 7 (E) - SOLDIERS AUTHORIZED TO WEAR MORE THAN ONE SSI-FWTS MAY CHOOSE WHICH SSI-FWTS TO WEAR. SOLDIERS ALSO MAY ELECT NOT TO WEAR THE SSI-FWTS.

As the CIB/CMB/CAB are all published as orders, I recommend a quick scan or download of the orders from your iPERMS to your mobile device. This simple step alleviated this issue for me and my subordinates when I was still in especially if like so many of us you may have had multiple SSI-FWTS during your deployment during which you earned the CAB (my Team Chief and I had both 10th MTN DIV and 513th MI BDE when we earned our CABs and PHs in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively). Hope this helps ease or alleviate any future heartburn.

As LTC Paul Labrador and several others point out, one of the "red flags" in Stolen Valor is the absence of an appropriate SSI-FWTS (commonly referred to as a combat patch). The current Army Times 20 April 2015 out today has an article you should read that shows stolen valor even occurs on Active Duty as well as Reserves or National Guard (ie. CSM guilty of wearing unearned baadges on page 21). Always Out Front (even from Ft. Living room)!

If all you got out of it was a little hiney chewing, or a quick smoke session, I wouldn't sweat it. The deployment patch is certainly optional, but I would have called you out on it too. If there's no reg on it, it doesn't really matter, if no one else has ever done it! I hope the NCO who called you out on it bought your explanation, and didn't give you too much crap. Battalion SGM asked me why I wasn't wearing a deployment patch to our welcome home ceremony. I gave him what he accepted as a reasonable answer. He simply wanted to know why.

Did the more senior person who hemmed you up have neither? Sometimes those personnel get kinda salty.

Per 670-1 both Pam & AR, you don't have to wear either, or both.

f. Soldiers authorized to wear more than one SSI–FWTS may choose which SSI–FWTS they wear. Soldiers also
may elect not to wear the SSI–FWTS. Pg. 327, AR 670-1.

I can see where it would raise some eyebrows, but this is small potatoes if you ask me. It's a pet peeve of mine when senior leaders make up requirements that aren't a part of our regulations. Furthermore, if a Commander has the time to worry about whether or not his troops are wearing the "right" SSI-FWTS I would suggest they're neglecting other aspects of their job.

This happened to me the other day. My 1SG asked where my FWTS-SSI was (yes he used the entire term). I had given my Airborne tab to another Soldier since theirs had disappeared. Not an ass-chewing, but more of a where is it since I wear my CAB and 1SG knows I had just come back from downrange.