U.S. Army soldiers who deployed to 14 countries in the U.S. Central Command and Africa Command areas of responsibility between October 2023 and June 2025 can now wear combat patches. The new policy, announced this week, expands the Army’s window of combat deployment and who is eligible to wear the patches.
The new policy lets soldiers “assigned or attached to units supporting operations within the CENTCOM and AFRICOM countries listed” wear the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for Military Operations in Hostile Conditions, or SSI-MOHC, better known as combat patches. The memo, from Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, was widely shared on social media, including the popular Army subreddit.
The memo, or “Authorization to wear Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Military Operations in Hostile Conditions for Select CENTCOM and AFRICOM Countries,” covers soldiers deployed to: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The authorization covers troops deployed to those countries between Oct. 7, 2023 and June 24, 2025 — the timeline covers the Hamas attack on Israel that started the ongoing war in Gaza all the way to the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites last month and the retaliatory attack on al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. That includes the two different phases of combat against the Houthis in Yemen over the last two years, the dozens of attacks on U.S. troops and bases by pro-Iran militias — including the deadly attack on Tower 22 in Jordan in January 2024 — and several air defense operations conducted against Iranian missiles and drones fired towards Israel.
Per the directive, it applies to the regular Army, the Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers who meet the criteria. There is no baseline time-in-theater requirement, the Army noted. The patches, worn on soldiers’ right arms underneath the American flag patch, show that a soldier has been on a combat deployment.
George also approved an exception to policy, waiving the requirement that soldiers deployed to the specified countries must also receive hostile fire, imminent danger pay and combat zone tax exclusion in order to wear a combat patch on their uniform.
“These changes acknowledge the inherent risks and challenges faced by Soldiers in these locations and timeframes,” the Army said in its release on the new authorization. “Awarding the combat patch reflects the Army’s commitment to recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of all Soldiers serving in these operational environments.”
Some of the countries specified were not directly attacked by hostile forces during the specified period. Notably, Somalia is not included, despite ongoing airstrikes and operations in that country and the death of two Navy SEALs off of the Somali coast in January 2024.
The new combat patch policy is the latest in several ways the U.S. military is honoring troops who have taken part in or in support of combat missions during that timeframe. Naval crews have been awarded the Unit Combat Action Ribbon for fighting the Houthis and troops deployed for that mission are authorized to receive the Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals. Troops in Iraq and Syria can receive the Inherent Resolve Campaign medal instead of that.
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