USMC 1st MARDIV Afghanistan Patch — Embroidered Patch
The Old Breed in Helmand
Afghanistan tested a new generation of Old Breed Marines in ways their predecessors at Guadalcanal and Chosin would have recognized — harsh terrain, a determined enemy, and the daily grind of sustained combat operations far from home. This patch represents the 1st Marine Division Marines who deployed to Afghanistan, carrying forward a legacy of aggressive ground combat into the mountains and green zones of Helmand Province.
Beginning in 2008, battalions from the 1st Marine Division regularly deployed to Afghanistan as part of the broader Marine Corps commitment to the Helmand Province campaign. In 2010, 1st Marine Division (Forward) deployed as part of the surge of more than 30,000 troops into the country, serving as the ground combat element for Task Force Leatherneck. Operating alongside Afghan National Security Forces as part of a multinational coalition, the division's Marines conducted counterinsurgency operations across some of the most contested territory in the war — clearing IED-laden patrol routes, engaging Taliban fighters in close combat, and working to establish security in districts that had been under insurgent control for years.
Perfect For:
Marines who deployed to Afghanistan with 1st MARDIV, Helmand Province veterans, Task Force Leatherneck alumni, OEF veterans, military patch collectors, and families of Marines who served in America's longest war.
From Pendleton to Helmand — the Old Breed answered again.
