# New Combat Service Badges Shortfall



## w45vaa (Oct 26, 2009)

I was just looking for my Combat Service Badge,the ones that will be woen on the "new" Blues/ASU,and I notice a problem....

Although they DO have mine,it seems they are all for major units. For example,there is the 10th Mountain Div.,but,what if you served with the 110th LRSD? There is no provision for a Airborne tab to be worn above a particular badge denoting service with a division or corps LRS or Pathfinder unit. Also, there are (as of right now) no SF Ranger Rgt/Bn's or Theater SOC's.

Is this a way to make the brass who have always disliked "specialized" unitshappy? Of course the 18th,82nd,101st,and 173rd all exist, but thats all as far as airborne units. What about retirees who served with SF,LRP/LRRP,LRS and Pathfinder units in Korea,VN,Grenada,Panama,Somolia,ODS/S & OEF,OIF-their unit isn't represented,and to make someone who served with 151st LRS in VN wear the FFV (is that who they were attd to,I forget   sorry) badge,or someone who served with the 12th Pathfinder Plt wear the plain 12th Aviation Badge just doesn't seem fair. How much longer before Ranger and Airborne tab/wings are no longer authorized on uniforms? "We need to make everyone the same,so no one feels inferior" ,seems to be what the Army is shooting for eventually. Anyway,thus far,the only SOF unit represented with a combat badge is USACAPOC. No idea if the other SF and SOF units will follow,and doubt if they will produce metal badges for small detachments and platoons like the 12th Pfdr,with a airborne tab above the SSI when I am sure the "brass" will reason that..."the 12th Pathfinder Plt was part of the 12th aviation Bgde,so the individual will therefore wear the 12th aviation combat badge denoting service in the 12th Pathfinder plt"----I can see 

Anyone know how,or even IF , this will be addressed? It just doesnt seem fair,as I said,to guys on LRSC/LRSD's ,Pathfinder Platoons/Detachments,and Regional SOC's. Huge blow to "esprit de corps" as well I would think,if the smaller units are not recognized.


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## stupid_rope (Oct 29, 2009)

One of my main complaints with the AF is the lack of "esprit de corps" and unit individuality (which is why I'm chasing my commission in the Army).  

I did not realize you all were going through some shit like this too...you got any more details?


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## RetPara (Oct 29, 2009)

What are you talking about?


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## stupid_rope (Oct 29, 2009)

RetPara said:


> What are you talking about?



Which one of us?


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## RetPara (Oct 29, 2009)

w45vaa


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## Totentanz (Oct 29, 2009)

RetPara said:


> w45vaa



If I'm reading it correctly, he's complaining about the fact that there exists a 10th MTN CSIB for the new ASU's, but not one with an Airborne tab on it for the airborne components of the division... (ie, the LRSD)


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## moobob (Oct 29, 2009)

The new uniform is gay. (Another hard hitting, thought provoking post by me.)


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## Viper1 (Oct 29, 2009)

I saw the new ASU today when I saw a bunch of OSC graduates taking their folks to the Infantry Museum here.  Looks nice, but that $13 dollar bullet stopper just adds up to way too much flare on the ASU.  Ick.  I'm a big fan of shoulder patches....they're cheaper too.


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## w45vaa (Oct 29, 2009)

Someone asked..."What are you talking about?"

I am trying to say, there are no "combat service badges"  that represent smaller Airborne elements WITHIN a Corps/Division,Aviation Regiment ect.
NOW, all you have to do is wear the Airborne tab above the SSI,and everyone knows you were with a Airborne unit within a Corps or Division.Not so with the new Combat Service Badge.

What about LRS guys,with a "leg" division BfSB? As of right now,the Combat Service Badge he would wear is that of the BfSB,with nothing to denote he Was not part of the BfSB ,but with their assigned LRS. 

The uniform sux,and everything about it was poorly thought out,to iinclude current unit and former wartime unit combat insignia. I am hoping this whole damn abomination gets shit-canned before it is actually implemented. The "re-designed" ACU may postpone or even (hopefully) cancel the ASU now,cuz money will be needed for the "new" ACU now.

I wil wear my Greens unil the last possible second;I will not,voluntarily,wear the ugly-assed "ASU".At least the greens look good,there is a provision for current unit and combat unit SSI's,Airborne identifiers like tabs and ovals ect,bloused boots look good with greens (with ASU and the stupid stripe,bloused boots look dumb);why does D.A. ALWAYS have to mess with something that isnt broken?


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## stupid_rope (Oct 29, 2009)

w45vaa

Thanks for the clarification.  I can understand your frustration, as we are going through something similar.

Long story short, the Air Force is tired of looking like commercial airline pilots so we bitched and moaned until something was done about it.  The 'Heritage Coat' was born, and from that came the wave of the good ol' boys bitching that it sucked.  So, big AF dropped the project after _millons_ of taxpayer dollars spent on it.

_"Over the past several years, Air Force leaders considered replacing the current Air Force service dress coat with a design similar to the version worn in 1946 by Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold.  Known as the "Heritage Coat," an evaluation was recently conducted to assess several prototype designs.

To keep the focus on near-term uniform needs, General Schwartz directed that no further effort be made on the Heritage Coat project at this time. The complete project will be available to Air Force leaders should they deem implementation appropriate in the future."_

Whole boring story here

The 'near-term uniform needs' that Gen Schwartz speaks of is due to the ABU still falling short of our needs and the PT Uniform which, well, makes us look like fags.

I'm disappointed the Army is dropping its greens.  My Soldier family members always look sharper than I do at family gatherings (read: funerals).  Oh well, "Change is inevitable. Change for the better is a full-time job." -Adlai E. Stevenson


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