Posted on Aug 19, 2021
Will there be CZTE/SSI-FWTS effects on other deployments because of the U.S. pulling out of Afghanistan?
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What do you think will be the ancillary effects of pulling troops out of Afghanistan on DoD's treatment of other deployments? For instance, the Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) for deployments in many other countries is actually derived from the Afghanistan combat zone. This includes many countries with seemingly no connection to the Afghanistan combat zone. For example, Djibouti, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen are only afforded CZTE treatment because of a determination that personnel there serve "in direct support of military operations in the Afghanistan CZ," as none of these countries are themselves declared combat zones. This also impacts the Army combat patch/SSI-FWTS/SSI-MOHC, because combat patches are currently only given out for deployments where the soldier receives HFP/IDP + CZTE.
Do people think that, with the end of operations in the Afghanistan CZ, DoD will withdraw CZTE treatment for deployments to Djibouti, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen? It would seem very odd to me that a deployment to Syria, for instance, would all of a sudden lose CZTE/combat patch status just because of the totally unrelated pull-out from Afghanistan, whereas a deployment to Saudi Arabia would continue to receive both (Saudi Arabia is a separate combat zone).
Sources:
AR 670-1, 21-18(2) (Combat Patch Requirements)
https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/CZ2/ (Combat Zone Support Areas)
https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/CZ1/ (Combat Zones)
Do people think that, with the end of operations in the Afghanistan CZ, DoD will withdraw CZTE treatment for deployments to Djibouti, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen? It would seem very odd to me that a deployment to Syria, for instance, would all of a sudden lose CZTE/combat patch status just because of the totally unrelated pull-out from Afghanistan, whereas a deployment to Saudi Arabia would continue to receive both (Saudi Arabia is a separate combat zone).
Sources:
AR 670-1, 21-18(2) (Combat Patch Requirements)
https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/CZ2/ (Combat Zone Support Areas)
https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/CZ1/ (Combat Zones)
Deployment
CZTE (Combat Zone Tax Exclusion)
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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I think that some may require shifts, as several of those countries still have operations supporting CT operations in Iraq/Syria.
With that said, I think it means we'll shift back to a pre Gulf War/pre-2002 Army where combat patches became rarer over time.
With that said, I think it means we'll shift back to a pre Gulf War/pre-2002 Army where combat patches became rarer over time.
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MAJ Matthew Arnold
I went to basic in 1973. I watched right shoulder patches, CIBs, SSMs, BSMs, PHs and other things you can only get in combat over the years slowly disappear from the uniforms. When I was a young LT in the 82nd Abn. div. my platoon sergeant and most of the NCOs E6 and above had a right shoulder patch, a CIB, a BSM, and a VN ribbon or 3, most of my field grade and general officers likewise. As the years went by those awards started to disappear. Slowly, I eventually saw colonels and SMGs with no combat experience. Eventually, the right shoulder patch was all but forgotten. Three rows of ribbons on a 20 year veteran became normal with ARCOMs, AAMs, OSRs, NDRs, GCMs, and an occasional MSM or LOM. It seemed the only way you could tell if anyone had been around was if they had foreign jump wings. Even the SOF and Delta guys weren't getting any extra patches or ribbons. Once in a while you would see some soldier or marine with a strange ribbon for some weird deployment in the middle east. Then Bosnia and a few more ribbons appeared. Then Grenada, Panama, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia, & Kuwait. But, still the number effected by each of these actions was small compared to the total DOD, and ribbons and patches were noticeable, but spread out among the force. Well, then 9/11 came and soon after I retired, but a few years later everybody had ribbons up to their epaulets and more badges than space on the uniform. But the "slick sleeve", EIB, 3 rows or ribbons years were long, drawn out, and boring, peaceful, but boring.
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In this day and age, all one has to do is wait a few years and chances are they will land in an area where they can get a patch. I'm sure some additional areas will lose that status just like Kuwait did a few years ago.
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