Quote:
Originally Posted by High Wood
This is probably the daftest questions that I have ever asked but someone has to ask it.
Why do the Special Forces wear insignia that identifies them as Special Forces if, for what ever valid reason, they do not want to be recognised as Special Forces?
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Can't speak on how British SOF units on the wear and use of "patches."However I am familiar with US SOF OEF/OIF theater made patches as I collect some of them from either veterans or in one case an individual who is the go to individual for one of the groups and has them made for the teams.
Because of the GWOT and the mix of Coalition nations serving alongside US forces, they have adopted what the Americans have been doing for 100 years, meaning that units/individuals serving in theatre want a souvenir or as in the case of US SF teams have or create a rotational patch for each deployment.
Here lays the problem, dude walks into sew shop ask for 25 patches, provides the design, comes back 3 days later pays for and collects. The shop owners are savvy and if they have material left over make 5 more off the same run,put on the board for sale. Collector/serving individuals come in buy the patch's , sew shop makes more. They know who are SOF units, any guy with a beard...
Now in the case of ebay dealers, they get a sniff send an email/design and money to a friend serving including coalition civilians, has 20 made up from a different sew shop and sells them on ebay 3 sold 8 available made for the team blah blah blah....That should alert collectors they are reproductions and or fantasy patches!
Now I have rare Tier 1 unit NZ SAS, US CAG and others from known source's, myself and others choose not to show to any one including members here of these "patches" for obvious reasons, more for not wanting to add to the reproductions etc...one day they will come out but not by myself or my friends.
Not all are SOF below are NOT SF but are moral/souvenir patches made by Canadian, US Aus individuals and there are tons of patches like this from all coalition nations serving in GWOT.
The bottom line don't buy off ebay as they will be reproductions and are not from known sources.
Phill