Col. David Hodne bans badges and combat patches
I thought this was a Duffel Blog thing, but apparently not, it’s in the Colorado Springs Gazette. This Commander of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat TEAM (caps are mine), 4th Infantry Division, Colonel David Hodne wants new soldiers to feel included when they arrive at the unit, so he is stripping away his soldiers’ badges and combat patches on their uniform while on duty, so that everyone will only have name tags, rank, 4th ID patch and an American flag on their uniform.
First, I’ll start out with this; That’s all I ever wore on my uniform, but that was my choice. I always said that “what you did isn’t as important as what you do”. Until my company commander told me to sew my CIB and my combat patch on – and I always do what I’m told. But, like I said, it was my choice. This colonel fellow is way off base if this is the reason he wants this to happen;
The colonel said he made the switch for a couple of reasons. One was to welcome new blood.
Hodne’s unit, which has seen a radical reorganization over the past year from tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles to eight-wheeled Strykers, is loaded with brand-new privates whose uniforms are bare of insignia. Instead of standing out, the new guys look like everyone else in training.
“It’s about the collective, it’s not about the individual,” Hodne explained.
Yeah, that’s horseshit. That’s kindergarten-grade horseshit. I know the colonel thinks that he’s helping, but, really, he’s not. Yeah, the younger guys will feel included but you’re completely disregarding the guys who’ve been doing the heavy lifting for the past 15 years. They earned that stuff, they earned the right to wear it or not wear it. From the Army Times;
“Combat patches aren’t worn to say ‘look I’ve deployed’ or ‘I love this unit’,” wrote Tom Simpkins on the Army Times Facebook page in an answer to a request for comment. “I wear mine as a scar, I wear it for every single person who deployed with me and every minute of rough times we went through.”
“It seems ridiculous, especially in an infantry or other combat MOSs,” Joseph Crescitelli wrote on Facebook. “It lets newer guys (such as myself) know who to look to for guidance for first person experience as well as demands that extra bit of respect.”
It seems to me that colonel would feel perfectly at home handing out smiley-face stickers to his class of first-graders for their self-esteem. The younger guys need something to shoot for, they need role models more than they need to feel included.
Category: Army News
Pat Tillman’s Ranger Brother Kept in Dark About Friendly Fire
Hodne said he promised that whoever killed Pat Tillman would pay dearly, a vow that Krakauer said was the Army’s first lie to the Tillman family.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/PatTillman/pat-tillmans-friendly-fire-death-secret-brother-kevin/story?id=8527538
This is ridiculous shyt! Is that freaking colonel going to take off his emblems so no one feels intimidated? Where in hell do they get this liberal FREAKS?
Robert. I read that preposterous and outlandish story. It really isn’t worth considering in relation to this colonel. That “captain” sounds like a first-rate screwball.
Robert. I also read the ABC News story. You need to re-read it–or are you intentionally trying to slight this colonel for reasons all your own? Tillman’s brother asked the colonel to promise to exact revenge on those who ambushed Pat Tillman and his people. He was referring not to the enemy. The colonel was not playing cover-up or anything of the kind.
AP: Startling Findings in Tillman Probe
Maj. David Hodne: Formal written reprimand for “failing to provide adequate command and control” of subordinate units.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110802763_pf.html
CORRECTION: That one line should have read, “He (the brother) was referring to the enemy.”
Pat Tillman as Everyone’s Political Football
The Fog of Fame
“When Cross-Functional Team Commander David Hodne was at the TOC in Khowst, he was a Major — normally a staff rank (as opposed to a command rank). This was his opportunity in a cannibalistic OPMS to shine … the shining demonstrated through bullet-points with numbers. The Blacksheep Platoon was due — according to the mission timeline — to conduct operations in Manah – not a high priority target — “no later than” April 22, 2004. Whether that made sense in the real world, after the unexpected delay of a busted Hummer, was irrelevant’.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2007/08/09/the-fog-of-fame/
Oh. So you’re saying, Robert, that you don’t like the guy, for reasons having nothing to do with the current topic.
Got it.
I made some snarky comments at the beginning but I also said early on that his resume is awesome and he’s clearly not a staff guy. The more I read I see he’s the kind of CO we should have more of. I disagree with this particular decree, but who am I to do so. In the plethora of challenges a BDE must have, this seems a whitewashing of the rocks thing. I think he knows his soldiers and there must be a reason. He’s had a much more illustrious career than I. So, I’ll just shut up and go color and wish him and the BDE well.
If he has a problem in his unit with more experienced soldiers hazing newer ones by embarassing them in unconstructive ways then he needs to address that with leadership and commanders influence.
If he has a bunch of whiney special children who have a problem with experience and excellence being awarded then he needs to tell them to challenge themselves to earn awards as well.
I’m also wondering, byu what authority can a CO overide uniform and awards regulations. I was in the Corps. The only deviations I ever saw was that in the Service C uniform Commanders could designate Ribbons only, Vice ribbons and badges. There were a few things INDIVIDUALS could do at their discretion ( personal awards only or wearing competetive shooting badges).
horseshyt…thats how the new people learn, from the older and more experienced!!
Reading comprehension isn’t your strongest point, is it?
This guy is a product of yalls President!
You are a terrible journalist and this piece is grade A crap. COL Hodne banned patches and pins on field uniforms for field training. Get the story right, or is responsible journalism interfering with your soap box grandstanding? Wearing pins and patches in the field is stupid and unnecessary.
I dont know what the army has come to, but when I was in, not that long ago, the uniform we wore to the field was the same one in garrison. There were no pus on it, just sewn on patches. (I guess yall use velcro now) You didn’t have some uniforms that were sewn up for the rear and some blank for the field, all were up to speed, pressed, and ready to go. We also shined our boots, and you could shave in them regardless of if we were staying at the company, or going out on a 10 day ftx. The idea of banning combat patches, tabs, and schools in the field is just rediculous. Its more play nice, new army bull shit. You want a good officer? We are coming up on the aniversary of his murder at ft Bragg. LTC Tisdale was my CO in iraq back in 04. He was promoted to major just before the deployment and had the choice of a battalion desk job, but turned it down to deploy as a company commander of an airborne infantry company because we were his guys, and he wasn’t going to leave us. When we got back, the BC put out that we were back in BDUs, but could still wear the tan boots. Maj Tisdale looked at his company and said “boots stay black heros”. He was proud of his troops, and insisted in his guys wearing that combat patch and CIB that he earned with us.
I understand where this Colonel is coming from. Unfortunately, he has forgot his military history. As Napoleon said. “A Soldier will fight long and hard for a piece of colored ribbon.”Of course, it could be he is just smarter.
I understand where this Colonel is coming from. Unfortunately, he has forgot his military history. As Napoleon said. “A Soldier will fight long and hard for a piece of colored ribbon.” We all know Napoleon got this right. After all, look at how we go after those that don’t rate it. And when we were all active duty, and saw someone in uniform for the first time, that is what we looked at, to get a first impression of the individual. To take that away from them is borderline criminal. Were I in his chain, I would already have serious doubts about his fitness to lead.
As I read the Army Times article, this only applies to field training exercises. Which does make sense because there are no authorizations for any sew on badges for the ACU/Multi Cam uniforms. Pin-on badges under body armor while in theater was also not allowed.
Yes the man said only in the field environment. And yes he has a background with ranger regiment, what he recommended was SOP for them in the field.
With that being said, I think he was coming from a good place, something we seem to have forgotten. We are all army green. We fight, bleed, and are injured for it. It doesn’t matter what race you are, where you came from before, you are now part of the United States Army, period.
Sadly, this has been marginalized with the advent of EO/SHARP. Now we are all a team… Until someone doesn’t feel like they are getting their way. And hijinks ensue. The double standards, the deliberately victimizing of warriors. Its saddening.
I’m a Marine, so I understand the Col’s reasoning. There is very little to discern a Force Reconnaissance Sniper from a Cook. For a reason. That said, that is based on Marine Corps regs.
Ranger regs for in the field are already established and there for a reason. What are big Army’s policies? And in the Army do individual commanders have the authority to override Army regs? I know in the Corps regs are ultimately approved by the Commandant, so you require that level of approval to change. Again, for a reason. It might keep some dumbs from deciding it’s a good idea for everyone to where high heels in uniform in solidarity with some popular social cause…..oops!
Sorry, in the last sentence I meant to say “some dumbass”. Implied not against this Colonel, but the one that decided little red pumps were a good option for ROTC cadets in uniform.
For all you armchair military legal experts – why don’t you cracked open AR 670-1 and read paragraph 2-6d. Then look in the mirror, extend a knife hand at the guy you’re looking at, and verbally counsel him for not doing his homework before writing something that is incorrect. Here’s the thing about second guessing senior commanders – you’d better have your information together and know what you’re talking about, unless you enjoy looking like an asshat. And shame on the Army Times and every other rag publication / blog whose reporters failed to research the story before attaching hyperbolic headlines to half-truths and inaccuracies.
Say, “chris” – why don’t you get a copy of the current AR 670-1 and read page 1? Specifically, read the parts where it states that local exceptions and supplements are forbidden without prior approval of DCS/G1?
We discussed para 2-6d above. While para 2-6d of AR 670-1 indicates that commanders may prescribe the uniform within maneuver areas, is is not clear whether that gives the commander the latitude to prescribe a mandatory deviation from something DA has said is authorized for wear on the uniform specified. Specifically, if DA has said that patches for qualification badges may be sewn on the uniform, it is not clear that commanders may mandate that their troops remove them. That would appear to be a local supplement or exception to the uniform standards, and require DCS/G1 approval.
Similarly, para 2-6f of the same reg forbids commanders from prohibiting or requiring the wear of optional uniform items. Last time I checked, sewing special skill badges on the ACU was an authorized option for that uniform. So by that para, what was specified by the commander here would appear to be contrary to AR 670-1: e.g., he’s forbidding an authorized optional uniform item.
Or it might not be. As far as I know, DA hasn’t said definitively one way or another whether this was within the man’s latitude as commander or not.
If you’re going to cite the reg, son – you might want to read the WHOLE reg first. Starting on page 1.
Which would answer my question above, as I suspected, that the Army uniform policy is similar to the Marine Corps policy in that subordinate commanders are limited in decreeing changes to uniform regulations signed off by the Commandant.
As I read it, TankBoy, that’s close. Here, DA has delegated authority to DCS/G1 to approve uniform standards vice CSA.
The reg is somewhat ambiguous in this specific instance – one place implies this is withing the local commander’s authority, while other places in the same reg seem to say otherwise. Particularly since soldiers generally have to pay out of pocket to have these badges sewn on their uniforms, clarification would IMO be a “good thing”.
Here we go again… same ol’ sh!t again… marching down the avenue…
I get that the Rangers and other units go to the field without unit patches, but do you really think that’s going to improve morale? I doubt it. A couple of ne Joes get their feeling hurt because they haven’t earned a patch, been to jum school, air assualt, drill sergeant school, etc, etc.
So I missed the whole ACU v2.0 thing. We had fatigues, jungle fatigues, BDUs etc. We had pin on rank and insignia, sew on rank and insignia, and so on.
Well we’re getting a “new” uniform (field, battle, combat, utility, call it what you will) with 10 pounds of velcro sewn on it.
Why not just save some money on the cost of these uniforms and get rid of the velcro? Go back to sew on patches and be done with it.
The NCO corps has a hard enough time keeping these guys in uniform.
“Gee, PFC snuffy, where’s your unit patch?”
“Well sarge I thought I was down range when I got out of my bunk this morning.”
Does anyone remember when they finally got a unit patch for their uniforms after basic training, especially those who remained at posts that had trainees? Skeeter wings and a unit patch set you apart from the trainees — and you didn’t get hassled as much at the snack bar or bowling alley on post buying that 3.2 beer!
I am authorized to wear 4 different combat patches from 3 different combat tours OEF 4 OIF 8 and OIF 10 / OND BUT I only wear my 3rd ID PATCH because I lost 3 battles so to all the soldiers that I’ve spoken with over the years you have those that change me up like underwear and those whose patches mean more than to say hey look at me, and I would always tell my soldiers don’t rush to deploy if you do then man up and go but a combat patch doesn’t make anyone more than anyone else but people some people display pride out of hurt anger and sorrow and I would trade my CP a thousand times over to have my brothers back but my CP is how I honor them and my sacrifice