Posted on Apr 13, 2015
SSG Schools Non Commissioned Officer
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Screen shot 2015 04 13 at 6.55.17 pm
I got hemmed up today because I was not wearing my deployment patch with my combat action badge I looked for a regulation stating they must be worn together but can't find anything. I've never heard of this has anyone else?
Posted in these groups: Imgres DeploymentHqdefault Badges
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SSG Harper Peterson
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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.
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LTC Jason Mackay
LTC Jason Mackay
10 y
SSG, many soldiers look on the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia For War Time Service (SSI-FWTS) aka combat patch like I have heard Marines speak about the pride they have in the Globe and Anchor. It is the personal connection to history. I can wear four different SSI-FWTS. I wear with pride the SSI of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). In that instant where my BN Commander took off my 3d Army SSI and replaced it with Old Abe, I was linked across time with all Currahees from Normandy, Bastogne, Eindhoven, Berchestgarten, Ap Bac Mountain, the Western Desert, Baghdad, Mosul, Q West, Al Ramadhi, to RC-East. Not an attack on the USMC or a testimony about which is better. Just a way we are similar.
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SFC David Zamora
SFC David Zamora
10 y
Completely agree. I earned my first "combat patch" with my first two deployments with my first unit in the 82nd when I was still in the Infantry.That's the only one I ever wore or felt the most pride to wear because of the history of the unit and the fact that we did more in just one of those deployments that I did in the other two as an MP combined. Only exception to that was when I was in Afghanistan in 2006 and our unit, which I was based out of Fort Gordon, GA, was attached to the 91st MP Bn from Ft Drum and we were forced to wear the 10th MTN patch on both sides. I fought it for a while with the same argument this thread is talking about but eventually, had the "give a crap" sucked out of me and I folded to make some CSM and LTC leave me alone. I never understood why someone who is proud to be part of a unit, would force someone who isn't or doesn't want to, to wear their badge. I did the same with my CIB, even though I was awarded a CAB, I never wore it over my CIB. I never caught any hell for that and while I met my share of senior DB's in the MP Corps, none ever told me I couldn't wear my CIB or EIB over my CAB.... and honestly, how is the debate over the "combat patch" any different???
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SSG Robert Burns
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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.
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SSG Schools Non Commissioned Officer
SSG (Join to see)
10 y
I understand he was right to question me but to make up regulations as he sees fit just seems a bit wrong to me.
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SFC Douglas Duckett
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Edited 10 y ago
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.
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SFC Douglas Duckett
SFC Douglas Duckett
10 y
The ability to "Elect" NOT TO WEAR something is special in the Army. Soldiers are always told what the MUST wear. I give credit to SPC Wallace Mcclelland, sometimes sucking it up and driving on is not necessarily the right answer. I hope he will continue to ask questions and not just follow blindly, just because someone said to.
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SGT(P) Khalid Wise
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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)!
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SSgt Carpenter
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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.
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MAJ Multifunctional Logistician
MAJ (Join to see)
10 y
Asking a question isn't an ass chewing though. At the end of the day, if you're ripping someone a new one based on something you KNOW is their option to do, or not do, you're wasting everyone's time. These days we've all got better things to do then argue about the things Soldeirs AREN'T doing wrong...
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SSG Trevor S.
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Edited >1 y ago
Did the more senior person who hemmed you up have neither? Sometimes those personnel get kinda salty.
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CPT Battalion S 1 Oic
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Per 670-1 both Pam & AR, you don't have to wear either, or both.
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SSG Eric Eck
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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.
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MAJ Operations Officer (S3)
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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.
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SSG Christopher Freeman
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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.
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