What constitutes a deployment for Marines to get a deployment patch in the Army?

2020-12-10T10:07:51-05:00

Have a buddy that deployed with the Marines and is now in the Army, how does he go about getting his expeditionary patch on his ERB and Shoulder.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Dec 10 at 2020 11:01 AM

2020-12-10T11:01:01-05:00

He should talk with his chain of command and get a referral to his unit S-1 or HR unit. Although Army can wear Marine awards on dress uniform, updating records and wearing combat deployment patch may require additional follow-up action

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Dec 10 at 2020 11:31 AM

2020-12-10T11:31:35-05:00

So your friend was in the Marines and deployed and is now in the Army and wants to wear a patch for the Marine Deployment?

I guess it would be worth asking the question to find out. I would be curious if they would allow it or not.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2020 11:48 AM

2020-12-10T11:48:35-05:00

He's not eligible. There's a big misconception that someone who deployed in the Marines gets a combat patch when they join the Army.

The only time that you are authorized to wear a Marine Corps combat patch you were in the army at the time he deployed in support of a marine unit. You will see a lot of prior service Marines in the Army wearing their Marine Corps patch, but they are wrong.

Now, if they earned a Combat Action ribbon in the Marines, they are eligible to put their CAR on their ERB and dress uniform

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Dec 10 at 2020 12:11 PM

2020-12-10T12:11:26-05:00

NO. You have to be IN THE ARMY during the deployment to rate a deployment patch (SSI-FWTS).

(2) Personnel who served in a designated area as a civilian or a member of another Service, but were not a member of the U.S. Army during one of the specified periods are not authorized to wear the SSI–FWTS.

Reference AR 670-1, 19-17

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Dec 10 at 2020 12:16 PM

2020-12-10T12:16:11-05:00

Have you ever seen USMC wearing a patch on their uniforms? If you do please take a picture and send it to me; besides the red landing support tabs of course. They don’t! When they deploy and see combat, they qualify for their Combat Action Ribbon; which is a permanent award and goes in their ERB. If you see a former Marine wearing a combat patch because he/she earned it while in the Corps, well... now you know.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2020 4:11 PM

2020-12-10T16:11:24-05:00

No. No Marine patches. The regulation is pretty clear, people just don't enforce it because a spot check means the corrected Soldier may take it off but as soon as correcting Soldier is out of sight it's going right back on. Or no one wants to bother getting in a pissing match with the crusty E8 about their patch. Bottom line is let your buddy know he doesn't get one, but that doesn't change what he/she did on that deployment.

Response by SFC James Cameron made Dec 10 at 2020 4:25 PM

2020-12-10T16:25:33-05:00

This is one the cases where things look weird. I hated being a slick sleeved E-5 with 2 stripes showing deployment time with corresponding and awards and decorations. It just happens to be the nature of the beast though. Marines don’t wear SSI or DUI items. AR 670-1 is clear on the subject as SFC Hasbun provided.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2020 6:59 PM

2020-12-10T18:59:42-05:00

The ONLY authorized patch for prior service marines to wear are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd marine division patches IF they served attached to an Army unit prior to the 2009 “surge” in Iraq

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2020 8:26 PM

2020-12-10T20:26:15-05:00

He doesn’t. It is not authorized. US Marines do not wear “combat patches” regarldell if length of deployment. The only personnel authorized a USMC “combat patch” are Soldiers who were OPCON attached to the Marines. If they are provided the letter from the USMC they are authorized a patch designed for OPCON Soldiers. They are not authorized any Matine Corps unit patches.