US SOCOM deployments

[thid92]

I have seen a few soldiers returning from deployment in Afghanistan wearing the SOCOM patch, I question it because it's only a few out of the entire brigade that went wearing them. They claim they were attached doing logistics for SOCOM. Is this legit or are they taking it upon them selves to wear a patch the have seen the SF guys wear thinking they are authorized to wear it? If someone in the know can shed some light on the situation so I can call them out if they are not entitled to wear them.

[CAARNG 68W]

Are you talking about the SF patch that non-SF Joe's wear on their right sleeve?


It's to show everyone else they did cool stuff on their mob, or at least they watched cool people do cool stuff.

[blue02hd]

Ask to see their orders that award that specific units Combat Patch?

TBH I'm not even sure why one would care. These potatoes are very small.

My .02$

[thid92]

I never been under any SF unit and don't have the under standing how you deploy, this is why I am coming here before confronting someone I am 90% doesn't deserve to wear A socom patch as a combat patch.

If socom deployed would they deploy in a command size element or do they send small teams that would fall in on other commands. I hope I am not violating any opsec here. My guess is they would send smaller teams that would fall under major commands, they would still wear their SF/SOCOM patch rather than the command they fall under.

Hope my rambling and questions make any sort of sense. Guess I could always pull their deployment order in iPERMS

[HardRoad]

For what it's worth, the SF patch and the SOCOM patch are two different things. The SF patch is the arrowhead with 3 lightning bolts over a V-42 commando knife in the middle (the "electric butter knife".)

The SOCOM patch is an oval with a spearhead in the middle and a wreath around the outside (at least, they tell me it's a wreath - I always thought it was the rope used to tie the hands of the people actually fighting the war.)

I don't know what the rules are now, but back in the early days of the war, you could get a SF patch by being attached to an SF unit for 30 days. All kinds of people would finagle a 30 day vacation at our firebase (loggies, ETTs, medical types, etc.) so that they could get the patch. No biggie there - a ton of support folks assigned to the SOTF got it too.

All kinds of non-SOF qualified folks deploy for SOCOM too, so all either patch tells you about someone is that they happened to be assigned or attached to a SOF unit downrange.

And, really, all the patch actually tells you is that someone had $3.98 to spend at Ranger Joe's.

[thid92]

Originally Posted by HardRoad

For what it's worth, the SF patch and the SOCOM patch are two different things. The SF patch is the arrowhead with 3 lightning bolts over a V-42 commando knife in the middle (the "electric butter knife".)

The SOCOM patch is an oval with a spearhead in the middle and a wreath around the outside (at least, they tell me it's a wreath - I always thought it was the rope used to tie the hands of the people actually fighting the war.)

I don't know what the rules are now, but back in the early days of the war, you could get a SF patch by being attached to an SF unit for 30 days. All kinds of people would finagle a 30 day vacation at our firebase (loggies, ETTs, medical types, etc.) so that they could get the patch. No biggie there - a ton of support folks assigned to the SOTF got it too.

All kinds of non-SOF qualified folks deploy for SOCOM too, so all either patch tells you about someone is that they happened to be assigned or attached to a SOF unit downrange.

And, really, all the patch actually tells you is that someone had $3.98 to spend at Ranger Joe's.

Hardroad,

Thank you for your reply. I understand the patches are different and the 30 day required to earn it with the unit. I just wasn't sure is SOCOM deployed large enough elements to have outside units attached. If in fact it's a px Ranger thing I want to put a stop to it. I have called out a 1SG that was deployed with me when he was a SSG that wears the CAB that he didn't earn, I am a true believers that you wear what you have earned. I do realize a SF/SOCOM patch doesn't say much being worn on the right sleeve but right is right and wrong must be addressed.