OIF related tabs - some questions

[Proud Kraut]

I got these tabs with a lot of OIF related patches. The patches are what I would call commemorative insignia. I liked the mottos of the tabs and the price was okay so this time I couldn't resist. The patches and tabs are all merrowed edged. Thus, if I recall correctly, they are not "in country" made. Can somebody tell me when and where these tabs were made and if the were worn on uniforms? Thanks for your help!

[vzemke]

These tabs were sold by vendors outside the PXs at Camp Liberty and Camp Victory (Baghdad, Iraq) when I was there in 2007. Not sold in the PX, but by a third party vendor who set up souvenir stands with TONs of similar machine woven patches, poorly made challenge coins, post cards, etc. I would imagine they were available elsewhere as well, but they certainly were not at all of the bases and I don't remember seeing them in Kuwait.

 

I believe these were made somewhere other than Iraq and brought in to sell as souvenir/novelty items. Not intended to be worn on uniforms, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone tried.

[Proud Kraut]

These tabs were sold by vendors outside the PXs at Camp Liberty and Camp Victory (Baghdad, Iraq) when I was there in 2007. Not sold in the PX, but by a third party vendor who set up souvenir stands with TONs of similar machine woven patches, poorly made challenge coins, post cards, etc. I would imagine they were available elsewhere as well, but they certainly were not at all of the bases and I don't remember seeing them in Kuwait.

 

I believe these were made somewhere other than Iraq and brought in to sell as souvenir/novelty items. Not intended to be worn on uniforms, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone tried.

 

Thank you very much for these informations, I appreciate it! Here are some more patches of the same lot, novelty patches for sure. I just was curious about if those tabs might have been worn in theater.

 

[Hatz50228]

Agree with everything above. They were selling them at Liberty in 05-06 when I was there too. Some of us would replace the airborne tab with one of these morale tabs on our 101st Patches on patrol.... at least until an NCO found them. I think this stopped when they started making ACU colored patches as the morale patches were only BDU or DCU colors like you have posted.

 

Wade

[Proud Kraut]

Agree with everything above. They were selling them at Liberty in 05-06 when I was there too. Some of us would replace the airborne tab with one of these morale tabs on our 101st Patches on patrol.... at least until an NCO found them. I think this stopped when they started making ACU colored patches as the morale patches were only BDU or DCU colors like you have posted.

 

Wade

 

Wade, thank you very much for the confirmation! Rest of the lot and appearance of the backs for further reference.

 

 

[USMarineCorps]

Definitely original. I've received a few of these from OIF vets.

[RedLegGI]

The tabs above as mentioned to appear to well made. As for tabs most tabs that I saw being worn were not worn outright. They were tucked under the flaps on the sleeve pockets so as not to be seen. Most are kind of morale patches, a few are unit or platoon mottos. One I own actually is a memorial tab and says "RIP Fairle" which when I looked it up referenced a fallen soldier. I myself wore a tab with "King of Battle" emblazoned on it. Hope this helps.

[sigma9r]

Camps Arifjan, Beuring, Ali Al Salem and Victory in Kuwait had many of these plus, for a $20.00 fee, you could have your own patch made. At Third Army the tab I saw most was the "Powerpoint" tab. It was, as was mentioned above, not worn on the uniform; except for the odd occasion to mess with the other tabbed soldiers.

A couple of us did have our branch insignia made. We wore these under our collar. The CSM called the general's attention to it but quickly backed down when the general turned up his collar and said, "You mean like this?"! I have a small collection of moral patches and yours certainly look good!