Eligibility for the patch "does not authorize pay entitlements such as hostile fire pay, imminent danger pay, or combat zone tax exclusion," the Army noted.

Soldiers from the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, received combat ...

It's also unclear how long Army planners have been pushing to expand combat patch eligibility. The change comes a year after an internal draft memo surfaced online, authorizing the patches for troops.

The Space Force’s move comes several months after the Air Force banned similar duty identifier patches for airmen.

The military never officially sanctioned its use, but that didn’t stop it from being emblazoned on patches, rifle magazines, vehicles and, of course, bodies. Unit pride, identity and grief ...