No. You weren't in active combat zone. If you were authorised the wear of a combat patch, you'd have received orders for it. You may, however, be awarded campaign ribbons and medals.
You do need a form document to wear a combat patch. For example if you are wearing your units then the deployment orders that took you to theater, with idenifing information of yourself, will do. If you are trying to wear another units patch you need a certificate from that command or your first LTC (0-5). The order, or internal certificate, will do.
Depends on the nature of the deployment. If it's not considered a combat deployment, then none. If it is, then you get one for every six months.
The combat patch and the CIB are separate awards. Any soldier who goes to war is awarded a combat patch. Any infantry soldier below the rank of colonel who is assigned to a line unit, engages in battle against the enemy and survives is awarded the CIB.If you have a CIB you also have a combat patch; having a combat patch doesn't necessarily mean you have the CIB.
Nope...
Why not, if he did whatever was required to wear it.
Yes, I have tons of friends who do it. And some who deployed with 1st MEU while in the Army and still where their patch.
For US Army only (Vietnam War era): If you've been in combat with a particular division, you may wear the shoulder patch on your RIGHT shoulder (some men referred to this as a "combat patch"). The left shoulder reflects your current division. If you've never been in combat with that particular division and had worn that division patch on your left shoulder for 20 years (as an example), when you leave that particular division...you may NOT wear the patch on your right shoulder.
I believe they're still subordinate to the 81st Regional Readiness Command. See related link for more information. If they were to be deployed, they most likely would be separated from the 81st RRC, and reassigned to a different unit. Upon reassignment, they would wear the shoulder patch of whatever unit they were made subordinate to upon deployment.
30, but it can be less if you nake direct contact with the enemy before the 30 day period.
No, because Naval units do not typically wear shoulder sleeve insignia (patches). There are exceptions to this rule, however. If the Naval unit was under an Army command they may be authorized the shoulder sleeve insignia, former wartime service (combat patch) of the Army command to which they were assigned.
Women in Djibouti are use to seeing the styles of the United States. Since the French are a dominant figure in the area you can wear what you are use to.
On the left shoulder, that is the current unit patch, on the right shoulder it would be a combat unit patch. Also there are tabs that can go above the patches if qualified to wear them. Ie: Ranger, Sapper, Special Forces.