"MORALE PATCH" Legal Defense Fund
Donation protected
They are at it again! This time "Morale Patch Armory" will be their last! This trademark troll needs to be stopped
"Morale Patch" should be known as "Morale Patch Armory" is Suing 281 Different companies for the use of the term "Morale Patch" We are fully going to fight this in a big way.
We "EMPIRE TACTICAL USA" and many other companies have been using the term "Morale Patch" for many many years and the term has been used openly since the Vietnam war.
"Morale Patch Armory" trademarked the term "MORALE PATCH" in 2016
and now wants to get $100,000 dollars from all of us that use the term
IT'S ON!
I hope they are ready for this battle, join me and others in the fight!
We are Veteran Owned and Operated
The retainer is $2,000 and the cost per hour of the attorney is $350. Any leftover funds after the legal challenge will be donated to the VFW.
-Adam Pfeifle
EMPIRE TACTICAL USA
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
_______Case No.: 20-cv-4776___________________________________
Morale Patch Armory LLC, )
an Iowa limited liability company, )
Case No.: 20-cv-4776
Plaintiff, )
Does 1-281, As Identified in Exhibit 2, )
Morale Patch history:
Morale patches have been around for decades. Fellow TFB writer Miles V Did a break down on the history of morale patches and his experience with them in the Marines:
The velcro patch fascination really started with the U.S. Army when the service switched over to velcro patches (Hook & Loop to avoid trademark issues) from the older sewn on patches used to represent a soldier’s rank, name, and unit. These patches made it much easier to change out uniforms when switching units or being promoted to a higher rank. Currently the Army is still the only service to utilize this velcro system, the other services are still using the older sewn on patches to represent units and names. Except for the Marine Corps, because we don’t need patches to know where all of us are from. Had to throw that in there!
Anyways, the velcro obsession continued when soldiers first donned the Intercepter flak jackets, then the larger turtle-like flaks in Iraq, and finally what are using now with plate carriers. Velcro was added to all of these so soldiers could identify each other because the flak jackets covered up the front portions of their uniforms where the name and rank was. The shoulder patches obviously weren’t covered up so those stayed.
The Marine Corps took this a step further and began implementing something called “Deployment Patches” (so called because you were only issued one on deployment). Since we don’t have unit patches or insignia on our shoulders, and our flak jackets covered up our front blouses with our names and rank, deployment patches began to see usage on the MTV flak jackets that included a rectangular section of velcro on the front, just underneath the chin of a Marine.
However the Marines took it a step further in a morbid usage of them. When a Marine is killed or injured, his information has to be relayed over the radio for the medivac bird to come through. Important information such as Zap/Kill number, blood type, name, even unit has to be relayed very urgently to the medics on the helicopter, in addition to the chain of command to let them know who the casualty was. Medics have to know what blood type he is, in addition to if he has any allergies to various medicine used, such as penicillin. In addition you don’t really want to broadcast over the radio net that Lcpl. Smith just got his leg blown off and is bleeding to death.
So how do you get this information across? The way we did this is through the aforementioned ZAP or Kill number. Essentially every Marine in a unit has a designation, that usually is the first letter of the company he is in, the first letter of his last name, and his last four digits of his social security number. As an example, mine was “CV1111” (social made up) when I was with 1/9. C was for my company, Charlie company. V was for my last name, Vining, and 1111 was the last four of my social. This way, when passing up information, the reporting unit has to only mention that “CV1111” was hit. Back at higher headquarters, a clerk can easily look up my ZAP number where it has my blood type, and any additional medical information that needs to be attached to the incoming bird.
So what does this have to do with deployment patches? Well, if I get blown up on one side of a compound, and if the patrol leader with the radio is on the other side of the compound, someone in the patrol can run over to me, rip the deployment patch off of my plate carrier, run back to the patrol leader, hand it to him, and he now has all the information (apart from my injuries) needed to notify higher about who was injured or killed. This could be especially useful if for example I’m on a patrol with a different platoon or even unit and they don’t know much about my particular situation.
Overseas, individuals started ordering custom deployment patches, and this led to custom unit patches, which then lead to custom anything patches, which is what we now call “Morale Patches” and thus have become extremely popular. Many of these patches were initially made in Iraq or Afghanistan by various local shops that catered to Soldiers or Marines losing or needing replacement unit/rank/deployment patches. To make something for a custom order was extremely simple and cheap. Guys would return to the U.S. and continue the practice with local patch makers here, and it sort of blossomed into what we see all over the shooting industry today. At the same time this was happening, velcro was being added to more MOLLE pouches and tactical gear, allowing more space to fit this extra stuff. Often times senior NCOs would issue orders that extra patches couldn’t be worn at all, but we still snuck them on our gear whenever we could for that “cool” factor.
To many Marine Infantrymen, a deployment patch is a sign of seniority, sort of like an earned memento that you only got if you went overseas. I still have the first one that was issued to me, its held together by glue, and is caked with sweat, grime, and Afghan dirt. But it holds a very deep sentimental value of a time in my life that forever changed me in many regards.
Thanks for you support!
Adam M. Pfeifle
Empire Tactical USA
206-617-7393
"Morale Patch" should be known as "Morale Patch Armory" is Suing 281 Different companies for the use of the term "Morale Patch" We are fully going to fight this in a big way.
We "EMPIRE TACTICAL USA" and many other companies have been using the term "Morale Patch" for many many years and the term has been used openly since the Vietnam war.
"Morale Patch Armory" trademarked the term "MORALE PATCH" in 2016
and now wants to get $100,000 dollars from all of us that use the term
IT'S ON!
I hope they are ready for this battle, join me and others in the fight!
We are Veteran Owned and Operated
The retainer is $2,000 and the cost per hour of the attorney is $350. Any leftover funds after the legal challenge will be donated to the VFW.
-Adam Pfeifle
EMPIRE TACTICAL USA
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
_______Case No.: 20-cv-4776___________________________________
Morale Patch Armory LLC, )
an Iowa limited liability company, )
Case No.: 20-cv-4776
Plaintiff, )
Does 1-281, As Identified in Exhibit 2, )
Morale Patch history:
Morale patches have been around for decades. Fellow TFB writer Miles V Did a break down on the history of morale patches and his experience with them in the Marines:
The velcro patch fascination really started with the U.S. Army when the service switched over to velcro patches (Hook & Loop to avoid trademark issues) from the older sewn on patches used to represent a soldier’s rank, name, and unit. These patches made it much easier to change out uniforms when switching units or being promoted to a higher rank. Currently the Army is still the only service to utilize this velcro system, the other services are still using the older sewn on patches to represent units and names. Except for the Marine Corps, because we don’t need patches to know where all of us are from. Had to throw that in there!
Anyways, the velcro obsession continued when soldiers first donned the Intercepter flak jackets, then the larger turtle-like flaks in Iraq, and finally what are using now with plate carriers. Velcro was added to all of these so soldiers could identify each other because the flak jackets covered up the front portions of their uniforms where the name and rank was. The shoulder patches obviously weren’t covered up so those stayed.
The Marine Corps took this a step further and began implementing something called “Deployment Patches” (so called because you were only issued one on deployment). Since we don’t have unit patches or insignia on our shoulders, and our flak jackets covered up our front blouses with our names and rank, deployment patches began to see usage on the MTV flak jackets that included a rectangular section of velcro on the front, just underneath the chin of a Marine.
However the Marines took it a step further in a morbid usage of them. When a Marine is killed or injured, his information has to be relayed over the radio for the medivac bird to come through. Important information such as Zap/Kill number, blood type, name, even unit has to be relayed very urgently to the medics on the helicopter, in addition to the chain of command to let them know who the casualty was. Medics have to know what blood type he is, in addition to if he has any allergies to various medicine used, such as penicillin. In addition you don’t really want to broadcast over the radio net that Lcpl. Smith just got his leg blown off and is bleeding to death.
So how do you get this information across? The way we did this is through the aforementioned ZAP or Kill number. Essentially every Marine in a unit has a designation, that usually is the first letter of the company he is in, the first letter of his last name, and his last four digits of his social security number. As an example, mine was “CV1111” (social made up) when I was with 1/9. C was for my company, Charlie company. V was for my last name, Vining, and 1111 was the last four of my social. This way, when passing up information, the reporting unit has to only mention that “CV1111” was hit. Back at higher headquarters, a clerk can easily look up my ZAP number where it has my blood type, and any additional medical information that needs to be attached to the incoming bird.
So what does this have to do with deployment patches? Well, if I get blown up on one side of a compound, and if the patrol leader with the radio is on the other side of the compound, someone in the patrol can run over to me, rip the deployment patch off of my plate carrier, run back to the patrol leader, hand it to him, and he now has all the information (apart from my injuries) needed to notify higher about who was injured or killed. This could be especially useful if for example I’m on a patrol with a different platoon or even unit and they don’t know much about my particular situation.
Overseas, individuals started ordering custom deployment patches, and this led to custom unit patches, which then lead to custom anything patches, which is what we now call “Morale Patches” and thus have become extremely popular. Many of these patches were initially made in Iraq or Afghanistan by various local shops that catered to Soldiers or Marines losing or needing replacement unit/rank/deployment patches. To make something for a custom order was extremely simple and cheap. Guys would return to the U.S. and continue the practice with local patch makers here, and it sort of blossomed into what we see all over the shooting industry today. At the same time this was happening, velcro was being added to more MOLLE pouches and tactical gear, allowing more space to fit this extra stuff. Often times senior NCOs would issue orders that extra patches couldn’t be worn at all, but we still snuck them on our gear whenever we could for that “cool” factor.
To many Marine Infantrymen, a deployment patch is a sign of seniority, sort of like an earned memento that you only got if you went overseas. I still have the first one that was issued to me, its held together by glue, and is caked with sweat, grime, and Afghan dirt. But it holds a very deep sentimental value of a time in my life that forever changed me in many regards.
Thanks for you support!
Adam M. Pfeifle
Empire Tactical USA
206-617-7393
Fundraising team (2)
Adam Pfeifle
Organizer
Seattle, WA
David Maki
Team member
