The Army has approved soldiers deployed to the Middle East and Africa in support of Operation Epic Fury to wear combat patches.
Authorization to wear combat patches, showcasing that the soldier was in a combat zone, is considered an honor in the military. With the authorization, soldiers will switch the insignia of their deployed unit from the left to the right shoulder of their Army combat uniform and Army green service uniform, Task and Purpose reported. The authorization was given by Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George in a March 26 memo.
The authorization applies to soldiers who served in countries under U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command, though the list of countries wasn’t immediately given. It applies to soldiers deployed in said countries from Feb. 28 to “a date to be determined.”
The official term for a combat patch is a “Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for Military Operations in Hostile Conditions.”
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The authorization reflects the danger to U.S. troops stationed in support of Operation Epic Fury. So far, 13 U.S. soldiers have died during the operation — seven from Iranian fire and six when their KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq. Roughly 300 U.S. soldiers have been wounded, with most of these returning to combat with non-serious injuries.
Combat patches were previously authorized for U.S. troops in the Middle East from Oct. 7, 2023, until June 24, 2025. The countries included in that authorization were: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
