The Marne Patch

Our hero returned this week from Marmal, where he spent a little more time than anticipated.  The convoy which delivered him to COP Khiligay works on its own schedule and according to Jason it takes a little longer to get from Marmal to COP Khiligay than the helicopter.  This week also saw the awarding of the Marne Patch to the Bonecrusher troops signifying that the wearer has participated in combat operations.

Here is a little history on the Marne Patch from a prior patching ceremony:

The wearing of patches, officially known as "Shoulder Sleeve Insignia-Former Wartime Service" is to denote Soldiers who have participated in combat operations.  It dates back to World War I, when it was worn to boost unit morale and show pride in the soldier's unit.  The Marne patch is the 3rd Infantry Division patch.  During World War I, a small group came up with the Marne patch idea-three white lines on a blue field.  They had just completed their stand on the Marne River, earning their nickname; had two Medal of Honor recipients; participated in three major campaigns and had seen more than 3,500 of their troops killed and another 12,000 of their troops wounded when they designed the patch.  The three lines stand for the major operations in which the division participated in World War I.  The blue field symbolizes American valor, the same as the blue field on the American flag; instead of stars there are the three stripes.

Here is a picture of the beginning of the patching Ceremony this week: