Army Dramatically Expands Combat Patch Eligibility

The Army has expanded eligibility for earning combat patches to soldiers deployed across 14 countries in the Middle East and Africa, a shift that comes as attacks from Iran and its sanctioned militias have hit bases far from active fighting.

The policy shift, issued last week, covers soldiers who served in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Djibouti, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen between Oct. 7, 2023 -- the date of Hamas' surprise attack on Israel -- and June 24, when the U.S. launched an airstrike on an Iranian nuclear facility.