What guidance is used in the Army for prior service Marines to wear the 1st or 3rd MARDIV patch?

2018-09-24T15:54:28-04:00

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 4:00 PM

2018-09-24T16:00:48-04:00

AR 670-1 states:

“(3) Other services. The Department of the Navy, the United States Marine Corps (USMC), and the Air Force do not authorize wear of SSI. Therefore, personnel who served in one of the designated areas during one of the specified periods, but who were not members of the U.S. Army, are not authorized to wear the SSI–FWTS on their right shoulder. The only exception to this policy is for U.S. Army members who served with the USMC during World War II from 15 March 1943 through 2 September 1946.”

I’m a prior service Marine as well and it makes no sense that a Soldier assigned to or attached to a Marine unit is authorized to wear their patch, but a Marine who served in that unit during the same time wouldn’t be authorized to wear it.

Personally, I wear mine still and I haven’t been challenged on it. Semper Fi

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2018 6:32 PM

2018-09-24T18:32:06-04:00

Thanks for your responses gents. Reason asking is I’m now Air Force and there are other prior service Marines here I serve with. With the transition to OCPs for Air Force starting Oct 1st, I’ve brought it to my leaderships attention that this will most likely be a “fad” amongst prior Marines within the Air Force. I’ve asked permission to wear mine, but due to not being able to find any regulations on it, my leadership is concerned about me wearing it. Quite frankly I’ve gotten mixed answers from “no” to “fuck you it you earned it, wear it”.

Response by MSgt George Cater made Sep 24 at 2018 7:32 PM

2018-09-24T19:32:10-04:00

The Army’s has this ‘problem’ since at least Vietnam. I recall a former Marine 1st MARDIV VietVet I met at Benning in the mid70’s. He was a 1SG and proudly wearing his 1st MarDiv patch along with all his other Ranger paraphernalia. Seems regardless of DA’s ‘official’ position, people are still gonna wear it. And now the Air Force gets to play the game, too.