USMC Afghani War Veteran Patch — Embroidered Patch
The Longest War
Afghanistan was America's longest war, and Marines were in the thick of it from the earliest days through the final withdrawal. This patch honors every Marine who served in Afghanistan — in the mountains, the valleys, the compounds, and the remote outposts where the fight against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda played out over two decades.
Marine involvement in Afghanistan began in November 2001, when Marines from the 15th and 26th MEUs established Camp Rhino and Forward Operating Base Camp Rhino south of Kandahar — the first conventional forces on the ground. Marines returned in force in 2008, deploying to Helmand Province where they conducted some of the most intense counterinsurgency operations of the war. Towns like Marjah, Now Zad, Sangin, and Garmsir became synonymous with Marine operations in Afghanistan. The fighting was characterized by IEDs, small arms ambushes, and the challenge of winning over a population caught between coalition forces and an entrenched insurgency. Marines served with distinction in Afghanistan for nearly twenty years.
Perfect For:
Afghanistan War Marine veterans, OEF service members, Helmand Province veterans, Marine combat veterans, GWOT participants, and Afghanistan campaign collectors
Twenty years. Every clime and place. Marines answered.