Posted on Mar 1, 2015
What is the right combat patch to wear if you deploy with the National Guard and are attached to an active unit?
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I was sent over with my National Guard Infantry Battalion and was attached to the 4th Infantry Division. I need to find out what SSI I should wear. Is it the SSI of my National Guard Infantry Brigade or the SSI of the 4th Infantry Division?
Posted in these groups: 
Infantry
Infantry
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
This is one of those things I see way too much in the Guard. I was Regular Army and deployed as a company. We were even broke down further into platoons and set out. I did spend most of my time with the 101st. But I only wear the unit patch that I wore on my left arm. I have a 101 patch that I can wear and I even have the Memo from the 101 letting me wear it. But I don't. I also have another patch. It was from the unit I deployed with. I don't like wearing a patch from a unit that you were attached too. So many times I would ask someone about their previous unit and they were never there and had little to do anything with them. They just want to look cool wearing a cool patch like the 82nd and the 101.
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SSG (Join to see)
Old comment, but I'll say that the Army has fumbled the ball with respect to wearing a "combat patch". It should be based on individual orders or if your unit (Company or lower) were attached to a BCT/Task Force that was awarded a PUC, VUA, or MUC. A company deploying to augment a BCT should be able to wear their patch as a SSI-MOHC since that they are under the direct control of the BCT HQ and not their parent organization. It should not matter at all if a soldier never served in the unit in garrison because they are now serving under them in combat, and they should be able to choose which patch they want to wear as a SSI-MOHC. I think the reg should have laid it out in a simple manner without all the word play that makes little sense. You either got direct orders or your unit (company or lower) received a unit award while attached to the higher HQ. That is how the whole mess should have been handled.
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I believe it's the SSI of unit you were attached to.
See AR 670-1 (http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r670_1.pdf), para 21-17:
Individual Soldiers who are attached (to include OPCON, cross-leveled, assigned, or augmenting deployed units) will wear the same SSI-FWTS worn by members of the deployed Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by written orders. A Soldier who is further attached (to one or more units) during one deployment will only wear the SSI-FWTS for the first Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by written orders. Soldiers who deploy with their unit (company level or higher) will wear the SSI-FWTS as outlined in paragraph 21–17a(7)(a), regardless how many times they are further attached to other units as individuals or teams.
See AR 670-1 (http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r670_1.pdf), para 21-17:
Individual Soldiers who are attached (to include OPCON, cross-leveled, assigned, or augmenting deployed units) will wear the same SSI-FWTS worn by members of the deployed Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by written orders. A Soldier who is further attached (to one or more units) during one deployment will only wear the SSI-FWTS for the first Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by written orders. Soldiers who deploy with their unit (company level or higher) will wear the SSI-FWTS as outlined in paragraph 21–17a(7)(a), regardless how many times they are further attached to other units as individuals or teams.
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You were in a unit that was larger than a company, that had its own organizational patch, was it a state command patch yes you would wear the Active patch, if was a Brigade patch non State Command patch then I would say the NG Brigade patch. Ref AR 670-1 Para 21-17
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Is this really a problem? In RVN, in combat, we just grabbed from the clean fatigues pile that came in, that reasonably fit. Some would have US Army tapes, but often just written with a marker. Never worried about a patch, we knew who we were with. LOL
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To add in, I think it also depends on when you were there. The only reason that would matter is when determining which version of 670-1 you were under. If I remeber correctly, it changed 2006ish and that's when the inclusion of a deployed unit company or higher.
I might be wrong but I swear I remeber something being changed to specifically address earning multiple combat patches.
I might be wrong but I swear I remeber something being changed to specifically address earning multiple combat patches.
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COL Vincent Stoneking
You are correct that it depends on when you went. I want to say the change was in 2008, but I could be wrong. Post that date, you've got to dance with the one what brought ya.
I went before then and because of the luck of the deployment and overlaps of various higher headquarters, I have about 6 SSI-FWTS that I could chose from. I only ever considered two to be relevant. I have the patches for both, but there is only one I ever wear.
I went before then and because of the luck of the deployment and overlaps of various higher headquarters, I have about 6 SSI-FWTS that I could chose from. I only ever considered two to be relevant. I have the patches for both, but there is only one I ever wear.
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