Origins: The History Of The Morale Patch

Patches are more than just a symbol of belonging. While we've all seen military patches, employee patches, and other official patches, sometimes you need to say more. 

That’s what morale patches are for. The official channels aren’t always the way to communicate. 

So what are morale patches, and what role do they play in both military and civilian life? Let’s explore where they came from, what they signify and how to order and wear them.

Origins of Military Morale Patches

Patches have long been a part of military uniforms for members of the U.S. military. Official patches indicate the wearer’s name, rank and the nationality of the force they’re fighting for.

Morale patches are an unofficial patch, which tends to convey an aspect of military life, often in a humorous or sardonic meaning. They may be unofficially tolerated by ranking officers, but as a rule are not a sanctioned part of the uniform.

Morale Patches vs. Tactical Patches

Morale patches are often confused with tactical patches. The terms are frequently used interchangeably. While the two patch types are quite similar, there are significant differences.

Morale patches are not considered part of an official uniform, and are optional. Tactical patches serve a functional purpose and can be a mandatory uniform accessory.

For example, members of police, fire and emergency medical services often wear jackets with large identifying patches on the back. Those are tactical patches that help fellow responders and others identify them. 

Similarly, elite military units might use patches that are visible only when viewed through night vision goggles. They can be seen by fellow team members without compromising their position to enemy combatants.

Morale patches, on the other hand, tend to be informal, often humorous or sarcastic. They’re frequently a comment on official policies or bureaucratic procedures.

Morale Patches Can Become Official

Morale patches can sometimes evolve into official patches. A classic example is unit insignia patches.

In a sense, the first morale patches were official patches. In World War I, Army officials suggested creating patches for different divisions as a way to boost troop morale. 

The Army’s 81st Division took up the challenge. Members of the infantry division chose to pay homage to their training grounds at Forth Jackson in South Carolina. The men trained near Wildcat Creek, so they designed a patch featuring the silhouette of a wildcat on an olive drab background.

Eventually, all divisions created their own patches, with each on representing a distinct group. Many, such as the 82nd Airborne’s “All American” double-A design have become iconic representations, recognized widely even by civilians. Such patches are popular with civilian collectors as well as military members.

Modern Morale Patches

Unlike the unit patches, morale patches today are a decidedly unauthorized style. Their dramatic, sarcastic or comical messages can poke fun at bureaucracy as a way to build camaraderie with a group.

Morale patches gradually became part of military life. Their popularity soared in the Vietnam War era. Soldiers often chose to make sarcastic or critical statements by placing custom patches on their uniforms. In a divisive war, they helped maintain unit cohesiveness among troops.

Wars and battles can lead to the creation of morale patches specific to them. U.S. Navy F-14 pilots created their first flight suit morale patches after an incident in 1981 in which two F-14 Tomcat fighters shot down two Libyan fighters over the Gulf of Sidra. The resulting patch featured a “Cool Cat” logo with the words “Anytime Baby.”  

Velcro: A Morale Patch’s Best Friend

A well-crafted, meaningful morale patch  often features snarky, even sarcastic images and expressions that fellow service members can relate to. They’re not always considered in good taste or “politically correct.”  As noted, morale patches are unofficial and unauthorized, and depending on the subject or image, can rankle higher-ranking personnel. Therefore, the ability to remove them quickly is a major plus.

That’s where Velcro® hook-and-loop fasteners shine. With Velcro backing, the patches can be removed or replaced easily. Removal enables the wearer to not risk the ire of superior officers. It also enables the transfer of patches from one garment to another easily. 

Incidentally, infantry members have long been referred to as “dogfaces.” It’s appropriate then, that Velcro was invented based on burrs that stuck to a dog’s fur.

In the 1940s, Swiss engineer and inventor George de Mestral became fascinated by the way burdock burrs kept sticking to his dog’s fur as they walked through the woods together.

De Mestral spent years investigating the burr’s unique tiny hooks and the way they grabbed onto soft materials. He eventually discovered a nylon thread that offered the properties he sought, and invented a machine to cut the material properly to create the hooks, Velcro was born. Although the name of his dog has been lost to history, de Mestral’s invention will live forever as a means of attaching and removing morale patches.

Beyond the Military

In recent years, custom morale patches have moved beyond the military into the civilian world as well. Many organizations, including motorcycle clubs, youth groups, sports teams, private clubs and even businesses have adopted morale patches of their own. The appeal of custom patches is virtually universal.

Collecting morale patches is a popular hobby. Many collectors are current or former military members, but civilian collectors enjoy them too. Eye-catching colors and irreverent sayings boost the collectability of such patches.

Crafting Your Own Custom Morale Patches

Just as our name says, at Patches4Less.com, we’re specialists in custom patches of all kinds. If you’re looking for morale patches for your unit, squad, team, group or other organization, we’re your dependable source. We take pride in taking your ideas and designs and transforming them in to custom patches you’ll wear with pride for years to come. 

Want to know more? Just fill out our free quote form, or call us toll free at 866-847-2824. We’re here to serve all your custom patch needs. Let us show you what great morale patches can do!