Paratroopers assigned to the Army's 82nd Airborne Division receive combat patches at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 28, 2024. Soldiers deployed to select countries in the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility between Oct. 7, 2023, and June 24, 2025, are now authorized to wear the patch. (Vincent Levelev/U.S. Army)
STUTTGART, Germany — Combat patches are now authorized for U.S. soldiers who deployed to a select group of countries in the Middle East and Africa over roughly the past two years, the Army announced recently.
The countries include Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, all of which are in U.S. Central Command’s area of operations.
Djibouti, home to U.S. Africa Command’s Camp Lemonnier, also made the list, which was given in an Army statement Thursday.
Eligibility to wear the shoulder sleeve insignia applies to the time period between Oct. 7, 2023, and June 24, 2025, the statement said.
“These changes acknowledge the inherent risks and challenges faced by Soldiers in these locations and timeframes,” the Army said.
While the statement didn’t specify what circumstances prompted the policy, the start date of the period coincides with the Hamas attack on Israel that ratcheted up tensions across the region.
In December 2023, the Pentagon launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a U.S.-led task force aimed at protecting Red Sea shipping from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.
A major U.S. assault on the Houthis in March ended weeks later, with the militants agreeing to a ceasefire.
The authorization applies to soldiers who served at least one day during the designated time frame. The directive does not authorize monetary entitlements such as hostile fire pay, imminent danger pay or combat zone tax exclusion, the Army said.
Authorizing combat patches recognizes the sacrifices of soldiers serving in harm’s way, the service said.
The combat patch is worn on the right sleeve of the uniform just below the American flag. Combat veterans are authorized to permanently wear the patch on their uniforms, according to Army regulations.
