Why don't soldiers stationed on the DMZ receive a combat patch?

Everyone wants a combat patch deployment until the IDF....or drones dropping bombs....or missiles come flying in. I've been to Iraq and received IDF. I've been to KSA when we damn near got hit (thank God for ADA). I can now choose between 3 patches on my right arm. Yay me (insert sarcasm). Trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Hey SGT I feel your frustration on not getting the patch, it’s like it’s own right of passage in its own sense. Trust me I’ve been waiting 5 years for a deployment and when they told me that I had a chance of just staying my ass in Kuwait I was livid beyond the point. Little did I know I got lucky and am in the process of getting that patch. A deployment is a deployment wherever it may be. Everyone in the army will get there chance and there are a select few who go there while career without ever seeing a combat zone which I’ve seen a jump master/drill sergeant that never got that patch so either he’s pissed he never got that opportunity or really loves tradoc! Point I’m trying to make is you’ll get your shot and you’ll get that patch in due time you just gotta look for the opportunity and want that thing.

Same reason Soldiers stationed in Kuwait don't get one. You could be in Camp Buehring just 20-25 miles South of the Iraqi border and hear the missile alert siren causing everyone to move to the bunkers in case of an impact. Later you'll find out that the missile launched from Yemen was shot down over Saudi Arabia hundreds of miles from your location. There you are in full kit sitting in a sandy concrete bunker in 120F thinking, "damn this is some bullshit".

The missile didn't hit which is a good thing, but because it didn't no patchy patch for everyone there. That's what Korea is, no impact no patch. Ultimately it's a good thing that there's no patch for Korea even though I know Soldiers want to get patched up, because if there was we'd probably be looking at 28,000 dead Americans and hundreds of thousands of dead South Koreans before we get there in force. Upside to Korea though, you get a medal for going there.

There are places that get the patch that are somewhat questionable but justified and that's just the luck of the draw. Then for those poor bastards stuck in Kuwait, the only ones getting to go forward for a patch are pretty much junior officers when their commanders are trying to hook them up.

Is it always fair? Nope. Are certain Soldiers in certain positions shamming the system to get patched? Of course they are. That's just the game SGT.

I am an old 11B who did two DMZ missions in 88 and 89. We had rules of engagement, live rounds, claymores, hand grenades. I was hit by a landmine at Warrior Base and lost hearing in my left ear. Our BN was in fire fights with the North Koreans, I was on an ambush mission during the battle. I saw thousands of North Korean Soldiers come out of caves and tunnels from the North Korean mountains. My squad went through a gate during the battle, and gate guard said, "lock and load boys your going to war and they are out there." The battle calmed down and an American patrol killed one NK, wounded another NK, and there was a blood trail where the NK squad went back to NK. We had a NK spy in our BN TOC giving the NK our patrol locations. I was on a patrol that was compromised by the spy. Whe on OP Oulette I heard sporadic gun fire at times and shot gun fire, so we headed to our bunkers to cover our positions. We did patrol briefs before going on a mission. The missions were secret and the mission briefs were explained by the BN XO. We could not tell anyone our mission plans. During my last patrol mission, we went into NK and got lost in a mine field due to having a new squad leader. The BN that proceeded my BN in the DMZ also had firefights and the BN that replaced my BN also had firefights. The DMZ is a combat zone without combat recognition. Also, the NKs have over 40,000 armistice violations which 100 American Soldiers were killed, 300 South Korean Solders killed, and 600 NK solders killed. Also, thousands of Americans Solders have been wounded or injured in the DMZ. The threat is real, the patrols are real, the minds are real, the propaganda is real, the rules of engagement are real, and the winters are brutal, monsoon season is real, and the American government does not care. We redeploy led from the DMZ, and started a ruthless cycle of traing to prepare for war and the next the DMZ deployment. While traing we had to have EOD teams detonate Korean War minds. When I arrived at Kimpo airport in Oct of 88, the SSG calling out our orders, told us who we're going north, "they been fighting in the DMZ" and he was right. Once again, the DOA and DOD do not want to recognize DMZ deployments.

The missions were real, the rounds were real, the land mine that damaged my hearing is still real, PTSD is real, the firefights were real, the spy in the BN was real, the infiltration's were real, the alerts were real, the clay-mores we used were real, we carried our weapons with us, we slept with our weapons, and I saw thousands of NK soldiers flood the DMZ during the first fight. I was told several times "boys lock and load you are going into war." In fact, when I arrived at Kempo Airbase, the SFC passing out orders told us 11Bs who were going north to the DMZ, and I quote "Oh, they've been fighting up there." The propaganda from the North stating "we will kill Americans and put your heads on display" was real. And, now DOD/DA/VA are acknowledging the use of Agent Orange with a life span of 100 years and a half/life of 25 years, which means Soldiers serving in the DMZ in late 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s were subject to Agent Orange since we drank the water, took showers with the water, laid in the foliage, and covered in mud and water from Monsoon season. I also recall a few times during training exercises/show of force, we had to stop the training because of landmines (we had an EOD team bow up the mines). Last comment, Congress allowed the VFW to accept Korea DMZ vets, and I appreciate the KDSM for Korea service, but I think the DMZ pin should be allowed on the KDSM.

That would beg the question of how about the people that went to Central America in the 80s? I know what we did not really looking for a patch but that would open up a can of worms in some instances.

Guantanamo Bay same situation, but both not at War, not even a Combat Theater. Contact your Branch Manager if you want to get in the s**t and get some shoulder bling. Word of advice…. Be careful what you wish for.

Because it isn't supposed to be a participation patch..