Posted on Apr 15, 2017
We're a Contracting Battalion (RCC-OIR), working in Iraq & Jordan. Which SSI-FWTS are we authorized?
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Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
Combat Patch (SSI-FWTS)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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When there is no intermediate unit (company or higher) in the deployed chain of command, these deployed Soldiers will wear the SSI of the senior command in the theater as its SSI-FWTS." So which is the senior command? One is higher than the other and you don't need a memo from them. to wear it, because 670-1 states you can. After each deployment, our S-1 produced a MFR about our deployment, which included our deployment area, dates encompassing the deployment, authorization for SSI-FWTS, and award given. That way it was a document you could keep in your record and was sign by our BN CDR.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Thanks for the feedback. The Senior command would be XVIII Airborne Corps, which is currently a 3 star command. 1ID is a 1 star command.
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I know this post is old but I'm hoping someone can shed some light on a very similar situation.
My squad was deployed to Afghanistan and we fall into the same category as you.
We are a reserve unit and our "company" was deployed to Kuwait. Now, our company further deployed my squad to Afghanistan. Therefore the company is not in the same theater. To make matters more vague, the TCS order we were given does not place us under any direct chain of command nor were we OPCON or ADCON to anyone. We did however report to and work for USFOR-A. Thus we were rewarded the USFOR-A patch because of line a.4(c) in the reg stating how we were a squad with no intermediate unit in the deployed area; thus we wear the theater command.
Now upon returning to Kuwait our leadership to include BN and BDE is telling us we need to wear the patch our Reserve Company belongs to. However, my argument is that, while the company was deployed to Kuwait (which does not qualify for SSI FWTS after 31 Dec 2014), my squad was deployed to Afghanistan and placed directly under a major theatre element.
Thoughts?
My squad was deployed to Afghanistan and we fall into the same category as you.
We are a reserve unit and our "company" was deployed to Kuwait. Now, our company further deployed my squad to Afghanistan. Therefore the company is not in the same theater. To make matters more vague, the TCS order we were given does not place us under any direct chain of command nor were we OPCON or ADCON to anyone. We did however report to and work for USFOR-A. Thus we were rewarded the USFOR-A patch because of line a.4(c) in the reg stating how we were a squad with no intermediate unit in the deployed area; thus we wear the theater command.
Now upon returning to Kuwait our leadership to include BN and BDE is telling us we need to wear the patch our Reserve Company belongs to. However, my argument is that, while the company was deployed to Kuwait (which does not qualify for SSI FWTS after 31 Dec 2014), my squad was deployed to Afghanistan and placed directly under a major theatre element.
Thoughts?
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Reading the details you lay out, I interpret the correct SSI-FWS as your parent organization since your parent battalion is also in theater. If your company had gone alone as an element smaller than company-sized to theater and been attached to 18th ABNC or 1st ID as a round out or augmentation to either organization, you would have a case that you should wear whichever you were attached to.
Here is a question for you: unless something changed, Jordan is not a hostile fire area. If that is still the case, you may have some Soldiers that earn combat patches (the ones that are forward) and some that do not.
Here is a question for you: unless something changed, Jordan is not a hostile fire area. If that is still the case, you may have some Soldiers that earn combat patches (the ones that are forward) and some that do not.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Top thanks for your response. Please give me an opportunity to explain some additional items about Army Contracting Units. The smallest organization in Contracting is a Battalion. There are no line units in a Battalion and a Contracting Battalion is typically smaller than 100 individuals made up of 5-8 person teams that come from; Military Installation Contracting Commands (MICCs), Army Contracting Command (ACC), Expeditionary Contracting Command (ECC), Reservist that are called up, and civilians from the contracting commands mentioned above as well as civilians from the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). All personnal on a contracting battalion are attached to Brigade and then assigned to the appropriate battalion. Since the contracting battalion and brigade wear the AMC patch, which is not authorized to wear as a SSI-FWS and there are no line units, then there are no other patches available other then the theater commands.
As for Jordan - it is an area that has been certified and recertified for IDP. It is also a location that is covered by 670-1 for SSI-FWS. please see below:
(16) Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR): between 15 June 2014 and a date to be determined, for Soldiers deployed to Iraq, Jordan, or Syria in support of OIR, who received combat zone tax exclusion and hostile fire/IDP as identified by CENTCOM Command Center-Joint Staff for Personnel and Administration.
As for Jordan - it is an area that has been certified and recertified for IDP. It is also a location that is covered by 670-1 for SSI-FWS. please see below:
(16) Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR): between 15 June 2014 and a date to be determined, for Soldiers deployed to Iraq, Jordan, or Syria in support of OIR, who received combat zone tax exclusion and hostile fire/IDP as identified by CENTCOM Command Center-Joint Staff for Personnel and Administration.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Forgot to mention....to further complicate things....the 408th CSB is also a permanent duty assignment for contracting folks that PCS to Kuwait. So it is possible to PCS to Kuwait and then get pushed forward by being attached to one of the 3 battalion that 408th has in theater. However, only the RCC-OIR is in a combat Zone. The other 2 battalions are in Kuwait and Qatar.
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