Should I wear my 82nd combat patch, given that I deployed as part of a TAP seperate from my brigade and was attached to the 82nd?

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:34:41 -0400

I deployed as part of a TAP seperate from my brigade. The TAP was stretched out into 3 six man teams. My team fell under the 82nd Airborne for approximately 4 months. Since we deployed as a platoon sized element and only my team was attached to the 82nd, would i wear the 82nd patch?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2020 3:48 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:48:35 -0400

Ask your leadership. If you are authorized to wear it, you should get a memo so stating. It all depends on how you fell under the 82nd. were you assigned, attached, adcon, opcon? If you were officially assigned to them there should be an order somewhere to show it. That is usually the case but I have seen instances where a soldier or group of soldiers were unofficially "on loan" to another unit

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2020 4:34 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:34:50 -0400

AR 670-1 states the lowest level. So whatever organization you were in. It wouldn’t be the 82nd patch since you’re not in the 82nd

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2020 9:30 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 21:30:11 -0400

You would not. You should wear your unit patch that you had on your sleeve when you deployed. I am not a fan of this and think it reminds me of stolen valor. I deployed in 2003 before the rules cleared this up and I would see Soldiers brag about getting 5 or 6 combat patches when they deployed. I deployed with my company. I wear my patch and I also have memo from the 101st for their patch due to supporting them. We worked for the DIV HQ gathering intel for a while. But when I was in the guard I would see a Soldier with a 82nd patch and ask them when they were at Bragg when they would say they were attached. To some of us the patch and the beret means a lot us. Being in the 82nd is an honor.

Another way to look at it is if you were to have been killed in combat where would your name be memorialized? Do you think they would add it to the Div memorial or would your Guard unit memorialize you there? I would wear the patch that would honor me.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2020 1:15 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 01:15:38 -0400

In my opinion, this is one of the more frequently asked questions on Rally Point. Again, in my opinion, the answer from the AR is fairly straightforward:
From AR 670-1 Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia:
19–17. Shoulder sleeve insignia–former wartime service
....
(4) Soldiers of all Army components (Active, ARNG, and USAR) who deploy during periods of service designated for wear of the SSI–FWTS are authorized to wear a SSI–FWTS. There are no time-in-theater requirements for authorization to wear the SSI–FWTS. Soldiers may not earn more than one SSI–FWTS during the same deployment.
(a) A deployed unit (company or higher) will wear its unit SSI as the SSI–FWTS, regardless of the headquarters element deploying and the unit alignment or OPCON during the period of deployment.
(b) A deployed unit will not wear its assigned SSI as its SSI–FWTS when the SSI belongs to a major command, such as an ACOM/ASCC/DRU or State area command, or a non-deployable unit. In such cases, the unit will wear the SSI of the lowest echelon Army unit (company or higher) in the deployed chain of command as the SSI–FWTS. 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.
(c) When echelons below company level (such as teams or squads) deploy, members of these units will wear the SSI of the lowest echelon deployed Army unit (company or higher) in the deployed chain of command (based on written orders) as the SSI–FWTS. 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.
(d) Individual Soldiers who are attached (to include OPCON, cross-leveled, assigned, or augmenting deployed units) will wear the same SSI–FWTS worn by members of the deployed Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by written orders. A Soldier who is further attached (to one or more units) during one deployment will only wear the SSI- FWTS for the first Army unit (company or higher) to which attached by written orders. Soldiers who deploy with their unit (company level or higher) will wear the SSI–FWTS as outlined in paragraph 19–17a(4)(a), regardless how many times they are further attached to other units as individuals or teams. Members of trial defense will wear the SSI of their respective commands as their SSI–FWTS.

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Oct 14 at 2020 11:13 PM

SGT Christopher Hayden — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 23:13:01 -0400

Ah, I remember the "good old days" when people would just wear patches of units they happened to see at the same DFAC as them overseas.