Army Expands Combat Patch Eligibility for CENTCOM, AFRICOM Deployments

This week, the Army announced that soldiers who served in 14 countries within the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas from October 7, 2023, to June 24, 2025, are now permitted to wear combat patches, officially referred to as the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for Military Operations in Hostile Conditions (SSI-MOHC). 

A recent directive, endorsed by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, pertains to soldiers who are assigned or attached to units engaged in operations across Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The coverage includes personnel from the Regular Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard, without any minimum duration of deployment required. 

The broadened authorization covers a time of heightened regional tensions, beginning with the Hamas assault on Israel in October 2023, followed by U.S. and allied operations against the Houthis in Yemen, numerous assaults by pro-Iran militias on U.S. installations—notably the fatal January 2024 attack on Tower 22 in Jordan—and the latest U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. 

In a significant development, Gen. George has eliminated the traditional requirement for soldiers to receive hostile fire or imminent danger pay, as well as combat zone tax exclusion, to be eligible for the combat patch. “These adjustments recognize the fundamental dangers and obstacles encountered by soldiers in these areas and periods,” the Army stated. 

According to Gen. George, “The granting of the combat patch demonstrates the Army’s dedication to acknowledging the efforts and sacrifices of every soldier engaged in these operational settings.” 

The combat patches, displayed on the right shoulder beneath the American flag, act as a clear indication of a soldier’s deployment in combat. Notably, Somalia—the site of the tragic deaths of two Navy SEALs off its coast in January 2024 and where U.S. airstrikes are still taking place—was omitted from the authorization. 

The policy aligns with other recent initiatives recognizing service members who engaged in regional conflicts during that time, such as granting the Navy’s Unit Combat Action Ribbon to crews who faced Houthi attacks and awarding Global War on Terrorism medals to troops participating in associated missions. Troops deployed in Iraq and Syria continue to qualify for the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal. 

The Army’s decision highlights the military’s commitment to acknowledging the dangers that soldiers encounter in contemporary conflict areas, even when operations do not escalate to conventional large-scale warfare.