Is there a scenario where a Specialist in the Army today is walking around with a 1st Marine Division patch on his right shoulder?

2021-03-11T15:28:18-05:00

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 11 at 2021 3:36 PM

2021-03-11T15:36:03-05:00

It is possible, authorized? Not likely. AR 670-1 if I am not mistaken lays out the guidelines for (and I hope I get this one right) Former Wartime Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2021 3:37 PM

2021-03-11T15:37:18-05:00

Sgt Andrew Whitridge Here is a previous post:

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-the-1st-marine-division-patch-an-authorized-army-combat-patch

Is the 1st Marine Division Patch an authorized Army combat patch? | RallyPoint

Marines do not wear combat patches on any of our uniforms, but we do have patches that represent our Divisions. I recently encountered a US Army soldier who is a former Marine and he had a 1st Marine Division patch on his right shoulder. Has the Army authorized this patch to be worn as a combat patch for soldiers who served in combat when they were in the Marine Corps?

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2021 3:44 PM

2021-03-11T15:44:14-05:00

No, but it's essentially a useless correction to make. As soon as the corrector walks away the soldier will put it back on. They want to be identified as a soldier who deployed, but usually their only deployment was when they were with the Marines - they don't want to be a slick sleeve even though they've deployed. It will take someone they see daily to enforce not wearing it for it to ever be enforced.

There's bigger problems to worry about anyway. Yes it's against regulation, but it really doesn't hurt anything.

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Mar 11 at 2021 3:45 PM

2021-03-11T15:45:30-05:00

Not likely, the few that wore them are either gone or the regs caught up to them. I did run int a few Soldiers that Started out as Marines and thought a CAR equated to a CIB when they came to the Army side, some also wore MARINE patches stating they belonged to the MARINE when they were awarded. When the laughter died down they were told to knock it off. I want to say it was 2008 when the Army put an end to combat patch collecting that some Army troops were doing by being attached to different units for short periods of time. It was particularly bad in the Reserves with folks sporting SF patches etc for doing a mission with a team. While the AR covers items worn on uniforms it is constantly violated by units with command directed exceptions.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Mar 11 at 2021 4:52 PM

2021-03-11T16:52:27-05:00

NO.
1st MARINE DIVISION was never authorized for Soldiers for wear except for one small company many years ago.
1st Marine Expeditionary Force was the Marine patch authorized for those serving with 1st Marines, not the Division level patch.
There were also Army Engineer units that were authorized 2nd MAR DIV patches, but the 1st Marine Division patch was never made authorized for Soldiers..

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Mar 11 at 2021 4:52 PM

2021-03-11T16:52:40-05:00

No, many soldiers think the right shoulder is for your last unit. IT ISN’T, I wonder if that is his problem.

Response by Sgt Andrew Whitridge made Mar 11 at 2021 5:32 PM

2021-03-11T17:32:18-05:00

Getting a lot of Yes/No on this from everyone including Army. Maybe it’s time to simplify your uniform regulations.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Mar 11 at 2021 6:00 PM

2021-03-11T18:00:43-05:00

AR670-1, 26 January 2021, Chapter 21-18, 3-b1:b. Authorization. The CSA authorizes wearing the SSI–MOHC.
Personnel who served in a designated area as a civilian or a member of another Service, but were not a member of the U.S. Army during one of the specified periods are not authorized to wear the SSI–MOHC.
However the final approval is the CSA, and may grant exception with the approval of the JCS.

Response by CW4 Keith Dolliver made Mar 11 at 2021 6:27 PM

2021-03-11T18:27:19-05:00

Possible: Yes, if they served with 1st Marine Division between 19 Mar 2003 - 21 Apr 2003, IAW excerpt below. Might be possible under certain circumstances, like a break in service or National Guard. (In 2009, there was an E-4 in my unit that had just rejoined after a 15ish year break in service, so it's possible, but I don't know if the Army is that hard up for numbers now...)

Likely: No.

Ref: AR 670-1, Par. 21-18, c. (14) Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): between 19 March 2003 and 31 August 2010, both dates inclusive, for Soldiers assigned to units participating in OIF. Soldiers must have been deployed in the USCENTCOM area of operations, or participated in OIF while deployed in Turkey, Israel, or on Aegis cruisers. Soldiers who served with the 1st Marine Division between 19 March 2003 and 21 April 2003 during combat operations in support of OIF are authorized to wear the 1st Marine Division SSI as their SSI – MOHC. Soldiers who were deployed in the area of operations on training exercises or in support of operations other than OIF are not authorized the SSI – MOHC, unless those exercises or operations became combat or support missions to OIF.

Response by SGT Jay Holland made Mar 11 at 2021 10:49 PM

2021-03-11T22:49:44-05:00

Not unless they got demoted. Otherwise they would likely have reached RCP by now

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2021 5:09 PM

2021-03-12T17:09:57-05:00

The only way it makes sense is if the Specialist is a prior service marine with a break in service.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2021 5:32 AM

2021-03-14T05:32:28-04:00

Yeah they switch branches and if they deployed with 1MD they can wear there patch
Idk the specifics but I know an E-5 that wore a marine patch bc he came from the corps

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2021 6:35 AM

2021-03-14T06:35:48-04:00

yes, if her deployed with thst Marine unit