Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
Posted on Jan 14, 2014
Do you view those without a combat patch differently?
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Wanted to share this article because I thought it was interesting and really made me think about combat patches.
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/the-combat-patch-binary-indicator-or-something-more
Any thoughts or comments?
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/the-combat-patch-binary-indicator-or-something-more
Any thoughts or comments?
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Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 38
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This is going to change here in a bit when the wars stop. At my last job I had a LT working for me who had three years in the unit with no deployments because there was no opportunities. Normally if a see a senior CPT or SFC or above with no combat patch my first reaction is someone who shammed out. I know from experience there are case by case basis that they couldn't deploy. I have no respect for the people who avoided the deployments while I have Soldiers who spent 4 or more years deployed to pickup the slack.
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CW3 Kevin Storm
Part of the problem is for those who didn't deployed and tried, we see a lot of that in the Guard, wrong career field for the unit that is going over, wrong grade, wrong you name it. It was no fault of their own. I saw guys who made a big deal out of their Desert Storm who once units were getting called up for Iraq or Afghanistan, had bad backs, diabetes, high blood pressure, bad teeth, you name it they were broken. They just didn't want to go through it again, and I hate to say it the Guard is not the quickest at getting people out.
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SSgt Rob Millard
I spent 20 years in the Air Force during the "Cold War" era. I trained constantly as an S-4 in the command element of a 44 person Air Base Defense team. When Desert Shield happened, we were all prepared to go. However, being the first "combat environment" in 25 years, it was the Senior Officers and NCO's that replaced the requisite ranks just so they could have an actual deployment in their records. It got so stupid that we had Master Sergeants deploying as Riflemen! There were a lot of issues back then where post Viet Nam era leaders were suddenly desperate to deploy.
So is the person that deployed back then in some way more of a soldier than the person who trained to deploy constantly but just never received the call?
In today's military, I am sure that if you wanted to deploy, you certainly could. I had the honor of being a Department of the Air Force Police Officer and worked with today's Security Forces. They are constantly deploying and are without a doubt 10 times the "Warriors" that we were back then as Air Force Security Police. I respect them greatly for their service. However, I have the same respect for the "Cold War" era soldier who was ready but never went. Just my 3 cents.
So is the person that deployed back then in some way more of a soldier than the person who trained to deploy constantly but just never received the call?
In today's military, I am sure that if you wanted to deploy, you certainly could. I had the honor of being a Department of the Air Force Police Officer and worked with today's Security Forces. They are constantly deploying and are without a doubt 10 times the "Warriors" that we were back then as Air Force Security Police. I respect them greatly for their service. However, I have the same respect for the "Cold War" era soldier who was ready but never went. Just my 3 cents.
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I think it is really more of a situation that may arrive with certain military occupations. If I went to my S-1 and the NCOIC didn't have a combat patch I wouldn't really care. That job whether it be stateside or deployed doesn't change much. I am sure there would be additional responsibilities that one would undertake while deployed in such a role but it is not a deal breaker.
Within combat arms it is a deal breaker. I am such an example. When I commissioned I went to my company as the only PL with deployments and a CIB. I was treated notable different from the other PL's. This was expected. As soldiers want their leadership to be fully capable of leading them and the presence of a combat patch/CIB would signify that I have been in combat at least once. For this reason I make my soldiers wear their awards.
This gets even worse from Infantry officers with the "Tab Check." Infantry officers will often greet another and while shaking hands they will look as the officers left shoulder for a Ranger Tab. If their is not one there they will be viewed as somewhat inferior. A Infantry officer without a Tab will often find themselves in a staff position.
Within combat arms it is a deal breaker. I am such an example. When I commissioned I went to my company as the only PL with deployments and a CIB. I was treated notable different from the other PL's. This was expected. As soldiers want their leadership to be fully capable of leading them and the presence of a combat patch/CIB would signify that I have been in combat at least once. For this reason I make my soldiers wear their awards.
This gets even worse from Infantry officers with the "Tab Check." Infantry officers will often greet another and while shaking hands they will look as the officers left shoulder for a Ranger Tab. If their is not one there they will be viewed as somewhat inferior. A Infantry officer without a Tab will often find themselves in a staff position.
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<div>Full disclosure I only read the first few paragraphs of the article.</div><div><br></div><div>I for one look at someone differently if they have a slick sleeve. Not because I think they are any better or worse for not having deployed, I'm more interested in their story and maybe how they are "getting over". At least half the time I talk to someone with no patch (Field Grade and SR NCO, not you LT) they are "too cool for School" and don't wear it. The other half It's a guy who is in a MOS that doesn't deploy much and they have spent a lot of time in Korea, non patched deployments and / or lots of time in TDA jobs I wouldn't want.</div><div><br></div><div>The funny thing is a deployment has doesn't make you more competent and very few Soldiers have any say if they will deploy or not.</div>
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1SG (Join to see)
While I don't know if they were actually 92S's or not in 2004 when I deployed, we had a unit there with us that did our laundry. I say they are few and far between but they are utilized, or at least were in 2004-2005
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SFC Stephen Carden
I wonder why we continue to train L&B specialists when we alsways just let civilian contractors come in and do the work? L&B is not the only specialty around that we do that for either.
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