Also referred to as a shoulder patch or unit patch, the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia-Military Operations in Hostile Conditions (SSI-MOHC) worn by U.S. Army personnel assigned to the United States Forces–Afghanistan joint command was originally approved for the U.S. Army Element, Combined Security Transition Command on 21 May 2008.
Before the year was out, the insignia was amended twice to change its symbolism, first on 23 June and again on 1 October. Two months later, on 1 December 2008, the insignia was redesignated for U.S. Army Element, United States Forces–Afghanistan.
Most prominently displayed on the insignia are two sprigs of wheat that are an emblem of the prosperity of the Islamic Government of Afghanistan. An upright sword is a symbol of the support for the security provided through the collaborative efforts of the Afghan National Security Forces, the United States, and Coalition partners to bring peace and stability to the country and surrounding region. These joint efforts at maintaining peace while promoting Afghanistan's ability to defend itself from enemies foreign and domestic are the basis of the organization's motto, "Strength Through Partnership."
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U.S. Army Element, United States Forces – Afghanistan Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB) The wings device attached to the sword represents the recently debuted Afghan Air Corps and the technological it embodies. A pair of crossed rifles are a symbol of defense and military readiness to address new threats as they emerge. Snow-capped mountains are an allusion to the Hindu Kush mountain range, a reminder of Afghanistan’s rugged, breathtaking terrain as well the new nation’s sovereignty, the latter reinforced by the three vertical bars of black, scarlet, and green that form the background of the Afghan flag at the time.
United States Forces–Afghanistan was a joint command that was part of the International Security Assistance Force until the dissolution of ISAF in 2014; it then became part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission. In the spring of 2021, President Biden announced the decision to end the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan, a decision that was seconded by NATO’s North Atlantic Council.
As Coalition forces began the process of departing Afghanistan, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin approved the transition of United States Forces–Afghanistan into United States Forces Afghanistan–Forward. Among the new Command’s directives was to protect U.S. diplomatic personnel in Afghanistan; support security measures at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul; provide ongoing assistance and advice to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF); and support U.S. counter-terrorism measures.
United States Forces Afghanistan–Forward was disestablished on 31 August 2021 as the last remaining U.S. and Coalition forces departed Afghanistan.