Sleeve Insignia worn by Canadians in Afghanistan - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #1 02-02-09, 06:57 PM

I was deployed to Afghanistan from May-Dec 08 to the Regional Command South (RCS) HQ. During this time I collected several dozen sleeve insignias worn by Canadians deployed to RC(S) HQ, TFA HQ, BG, ISAF and US units. I will attach images of them in a number of posts to this thread. I would ask forum members to wait until I am finished before making any comments etc., in order to keep the continuity and momentum of this thread. There may be some badges that have appeared in previous threads. Each badge I have physically seen worn by persons of the Task Force and have taken pictures where feasible. The airid ISAF badge is the only one actually issued by the NSE Supply Section. All others are unit, sub-unit or sub-sub-unit badges locally produced as authourized by the various HQ. These badges would not be designed and worn indiscriminately, having to be authourized by the unit HQ, in order to conform to taste, spirit of the mission as well as providing esprit de corps. Being locally produced they would be purchased by units and individuals. Each badge is velco backed for easy removal.

The first images are variations of the arid and green ISAF oval badges. Although I've included them, Canadians did not wear the green ISAF badge. The smallest arid ISAF badge I've seen worn on armlets of medics, inconjunction with the standard red cross.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #2 02-02-09, 07:11 PM

The attached images are those worn by Canadians attached to Regional Command South HQ. The first image is the RC(S) command badge worn by all. The 2nd image is Joint Fires and Information Cell and PSYOPS. Only one pers the LCOL CO of this section wore the JFIC badge. PSYOPS is a sub-sub-unit of JFIC. The 3rd image is Information Operations (IO). IO is also a sub-sub-unit of JFIC. The 4th image is coloured and subdued badges worn by the Canadian Force Protection Platoon. The was an infantry platoon from 2RCR. The 5th image is worn by those Canadians in the Counter-IED and the Combined Explosives Exploitatin Cell (CEXC). The last image on this post is worn by a Canadian Pilot in the Regional Air Operations Coordination Cell (South) RAOCC(S)

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #3 02-02-09, 07:21 PM

Another RC(S) badge worn by Canadians in the RC(S) Public Affairs. Their name would be embroidered in the bottom left corner of this badge.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #4 02-02-09, 07:28 PM

The 3 badges on the att image have been worn by Canadians in ISAF HQ, Combined Joint PSYOPS Task Force (CJPOTF), and the Directorate of Afghan Training and Equipment Support (DATES) - Operational Mentoring Liasion Team (OMLT). CJPOTF and DATES are 2 of many sub-units of ISAF HQ.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #5 02-02-09, 07:31 PM

The att image is of 2 badges worn by Traffic Technicians (left) and the Intelligence Section (right) of the Theatre Support Element - UAE.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #6 02-02-09, 07:52 PM

This next post are those badges worn by Canadians attached to Kandahar Airfield HQ (COMKAF). The 1st image is the COMKAF badge worn by all. The 2nd image is badges worn by Canadians employed in the COMKAF Meteorlogical Section, Military Police and Firefighters.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #7 02-02-09, 08:10 PM

This next post in two parts are those badges and tabs worn by Canadians in the Joint Task Force. The 1st image is 3 tabs, AIRBORNE, SAPPER and JTAC (Joint Air Traffic Controller). The 2nd image is badges from the Deployed Signal Support Troop (DSST) TF1-08; All Source Intelligence Cell (ASIC) TF1-08 and All Source Intelligence Cell (ASIC) TF3-08 ROTO 6. The 3rd image is the 2nd Platoon TFK Force Protection and TFK HQ G4 Cell. The 4th image is worn by those Canadians at the Operational Coordination Centre - Provincial (OCC-P) and Signallers of the KAF Line Detachment. The 5th image is badges worn by Canadian Military Police, and MPs of the Canadian Forces National Invistigative Service (CFNIS) and MPs of the Close Protection Unit. The last image is the badge worn by members of the Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehical (TUAV) ROTO 5 unit.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #8 02-02-09, 08:26 PM

The following images are of badges that denote trade or skill sets and would be worn by members of TFK HQ, NSE, OMLT and the Battle Group. The 1st image would be worn by Lawyers and Padres (all denominations). The 2nd would be worn by Medical and Preventive Medicine (PMED) pers. The 3rd is 2 variations of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC). The last image would be worn by pers of the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) and Counter IED (C-IED) sections.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #9 02-02-09, 08:33 PM

This next post is 2 images of badges worn by sub-units of the BG. The 1st is 2 variations of the D Squadron RCD, squadron badge and one of the 2nd Troop D Sqn. The 2nd image was worn by a soldier of a platoon from Parachute Coy 3RCR. The same soldier also told me that others in the Coy were wearing the Airborne Pegasus badge, which I did not see.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #10 02-02-09, 08:49 PM

This post are those badges worn by members of the Operational Mentoring and Liason Team. The OMLT was based around 1RCR and tasked to mentor 1 Bde 205 Corps Afghan Nat Army (1/205 Corps ANA). The 1st image is 2variations of the generic TF 3-08 OMLT badge. The 2nd image are badges worn by Canadians of the Strike KANDAK and Police Operational Mentoring and Liason Team (P-OMLT). These pers are resp for mentoring those ANA and ANP who are in the fight and working from various FOBs. The 3rd image is worn by those OMLT pers in the Training Kandak and Combat Service Support Kandak at Camp Hero, just beyond Kandahar Airfield. The 4th image is worn by OMLT pers of the 4th Kandak. This badge can be worn separately or with the SAPPER and RECON tabs for those pers mentoring the ANA Engineer and Recce Platoon.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #11 02-02-09, 09:13 PM

This is the last post of my thread. I've att images of other badges worn by Canadians. 1st image has the badge worn by the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and the badge worn by Canadians attached to the Regional Corps Advisory Command (RCAC). RCAC is a US Army unit resp for mentoring at the 205 Corps level. The 2nd image is the US Army National Guard "New York Division". There are several Canadians att to the Afghanistan Regional Security and Integration Command South (ARSIC(S)) at KAF wearing this badge. The 3rd image is the US CENTCOM. Canadians att to the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) in Kabul wore this badge. In October 2008 the CENTCOM badge worn by CSTC-A pers was replaced by their own badge - image 4. Image 5 shows part of the re-badging parade. BGen Howard is receiving his new CSTC-A badge. This CSTC-A badge is worn by all Coaltion and ANA partners as seen in the picture.

This completes my posts of sleeve badges worn by Canadians in JTFA. The day before I left in Dec, I met up with a WO Medic I know who was ordering unit badges for his TF 3-08 medical unit. Undoubtably over the span of 6+ months and two Task Force Rotations there were badges I missed. I do know unit and sub-unit sleeve badges go as far back as Task Forces in 06. I hope I have expanded on other threads and offered a glimpse of what was worn during my tour.

Cheers, Thomas

Bill A · #12 03-02-09, 12:32 AM

Thomas an excellent survey of the patching during your roto. It appears that the patching is becoming more elaborate as each roto goes through. A comprehensive catalogue of the insignia may never be compiled, with so many units making up small runs of patches.
Some questions.
1. Who actually authorizes the patching? Eg the CO of the unit? If the CO is authorizing the patching, is there a JTFA policy allowing for patching?
2. Do you know if there is any significance to the PRT patches with the small Can/Afg flags on them?
3. There is virtually never any unofficial patching shown in "official" photos from Afghanistan. Just the ISAF or the PRT patches. Is it practice to take the unofficial patching down when the "official" cameras are around?
4. The various patterns of ISAF arid (and green) patches are rerpesentative of patches produced for different nations, or are they different manufacturing runs, but all Canadian?

army outfitters · #13 03-02-09, 01:58 AM

[QUOTE=Bill A;31746]3. There is virtually never any unofficial patching shown in "official" photos from Afghanistan. Just the ISAF or the PRT patches. Is it practice to take the unofficial patching down when the "official" cameras are around?

Bill
The reason DND does not show non issue kit has been going on for years. For the same reason you did not hear about what the airborne did in Somalia right away and the same reason you did not hear about the madek(spell check) pocket. They want to put a politically correct spin on everything to make the senior types look good. If the general public knew how much non issue kit was being purchased just so that our troops can stay safe overseas they put egg on the face of the government of the day even though this has been a long standing problem. This applies to insignia as well as kit. I know it is not right but it is the truth. I hope that answers #3 for you
regards
Dave

Pylon1357 · #14 03-02-09, 06:47 PM

here is my humble accumulation of CF badges so far....

2 different sized IR Canadian Flags, 1 for the lack of another description "Don't shoot me" patch, also IR, and 2 ISAF shoulder badges.

Royal Cdn Dragoon · #15 04-02-09, 02:21 AM

Bill, to answer your questions:

1. I was deployed with Regional Command South and not under the direct command of JTFA. I am unsure if they had an actual written policy. If not then by default unit, sub-unit and sub-sub-unit badfges would be approved by the unit chain of command (CO/RSM).

2. The significane of the dual flags is to show the partnership between the two countries. The same applies to the OMLT badges I've posted that have Canadain and Afgan flags embedded in them.

3. I have seen "official" photos with more than ISAF and PRT badges, few published but they exist. I am not aware of any practice to remove badges when photographers are around. This would be "silly" as photographers are always around. Dave's comments in his post have no relevance to your question. Having 34+ yrs of service this does not make sense. I have been in the presence of the former and current CDS when pictures are taken and soldiers do not remove any unit badges. In fact mine I've worn out of country home twice.

4. Yes, the various patterns of ISAF arid (and green) patches are representative of patches produced for different nations and different manufacturing runs, but not all Canadian. There is nothing to stop a soldier from making a private purchase an any of the Kiosks in Kabul and KAF.

Thomas