| Author | Message | ||
     BJ Turner (Wturner) Senior Member Username: Wturner Post Number: 277 Registered: 02-2002 |
On CNN right now there is some documentry showing recent action over there from the soldier's point. Every one of them have a patch on their right arm that is a backwards American flag. Why is it backwards? Is it because we are in war time? | ||
| Felix Gumbiner (Felixthecat) Member Username: Felixthecat Post Number: 118 Registered: 02-2004 |
It's to signify that the given soldier is deployable, i.e. ready for combat. | ||
| Don Collins (Donc) Member Username: Donc Post Number: 126 Registered: 04-2002 |
Its to show the flag moving forward as if it were being carried. | ||
| R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 810 Registered: 07-2002 |
When hung, a flag is always supposed to be situated so that the blue star field is in the upper left corner, or so that it is up - if strung on a flag pole. When it is on a vehicle, aircraft, or in this case, the sholder of a soldier, the blue star field is supposed to be up and forward facing - toward the front of the aircraft or front of the vehicle. So why not put it on the left arm to make it look better, not "backwards?" The right arm is where you put the insignia of the unit you have been in a combat area with. The left arm is the current unit of service or any extra service that you never leave - ranger, spec. ops. Since when in a combat zone, you are serving with the U.S. armed forces, it makes sense to leave unit insignia on the left where it always is, and add the flag to the right while deployed. Every soldier over there will add their unit's insignia to the right when their deployment is over. If they get into an actual combat situation they will be able to add other things, like the olive branch around the expert infantry badge, or I think there is a campaign ribbon for each combat area served too right?? I've gotta get cable TV, it is so pathetic to have to watch only the networks - they are so juvenile when it comes to politics, and so elementary when it comes to covering military events - even when they are "live" events - I feel like yelling at the screen, "common! there is more going on that you are not telling me!" | ||
| Don Collins (Donc) Member Username: Donc Post Number: 127 Registered: 04-2002 |
BTW here is the place that is it listed under: https://www-perscom.army.mil/tagd/tioh/FAQ/FAQ.htm | ||
| Dave Statler (Falconx84) Member Username: Falconx84 Post Number: 187 Registered: 02-2004 |
the olive branch is to signify the highest qualification, there are typically 3 steps, the first being the insignia, the second typically being a star on it and the third being the star and crest, or olive branch. Not sure about infantry, but I know on the jump wings the parachute is colored gold if they make a combat jump. | ||
| Craig Kobayashi (Koby) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Koby Post Number: 1236 Registered: 02-2002 |
Don, you da man! | ||
| Jake Hartley (Jake) Senior Member Username: Jake Post Number: 269 Registered: 03-2002 |
actually, when you make a combat jump, you get a gold star as part of your wings. Combat Infantry Badge, (awarded only to Infantry MOS's involved in combat ops) gets a star for each additional award, i.e. Gulf War I, Gulf War II (https://www.perscomonline.army.mil/tagd/tioh/Badges/combat%20infantryman%20badge s.htm) (https://www.perscomonline.army.mil/tagd/tioh/Badges/parachutists%20badges.htm) | ||
| Steve Andrews (Sillybus) Senior Member Username: Sillybus Post Number: 452 Registered: 08-2002 |
I'm not positive on the Army way of doing things but if I remember from jump school correctly: Star above canopy: Senior Parachutist Wreath around star: Master Parachutist Both are awarded based on number of and type of jumps, equipment, day or night etc. Combat jumps are signified by 1-4 bronze stars located on the shroud lines or wings and a gold star on the shroud was the equivalent of 5 bronze stars or 5 combat jumps. In the AF (yes, I was a zoomie), the function badges were adorned with stars and wreaths based on time in years at a specific profession. | ||
| Don Collins (Donc) Member Username: Donc Post Number: 128 Registered: 04-2002 |
Craig, Thanks! Steve, The stars and wreaths above the badges above the badges specified what level the person was at their (Air Force) profession. (3-5-7-9 level) level 9 would have the stars and wreath around it. Ex Zoomie myself. | ||
| Steve Andrews (Sillybus) Senior Member Username: Sillybus Post Number: 453 Registered: 08-2002 |
Don - Its been awhile, so oops! I'm guessing the ###x# designation, where x is the level is what you are referring to and 7 got the star and 9 the wreath. Wasn't there still a time criteria to get a level? Maybe thats what I was thinking. In my former profession, you couldn't make level until a certain time in profession. Of course, that was over a decade ago and might have been specific to the job. I'm pretty sure about the bronze/gold star(s) on a jumper's badge. | ||
| Dave Statler (Falconx84) Member Username: Falconx84 Post Number: 190 Registered: 02-2004 |
I stand corrected -- I was a wannabe zoomie, if that counts  4 yrs AFJROTC, 2 yrs AFROTC, and something like 5 yrs CAP and counting... | ||
| Ray Wallace (Rayd2) Member Username: Rayd2 Post Number: 61 Registered: 05-2003 |
In the Marine Corps, unit patches are not worn as they are in the Army. Thus, you may have been seeing one of God's chosen few with the flag on the right shoulder. Ray |
