This is the desert version of the 332nd’s Expeditionary Fighter Squadron “Red Tails” deployment patch. They are the parent unit at Balad AB, Balad IRAQ, and own the lineage to the old 332nd FG from WWII, the “Tuskegee Airmen”, hence the “Red Tails” name. They cover the F-16 units that have deployed there for OIF II at Balad, but I believe they were at Talil for OIF I. The initial units at Balad were the 120th FS, Colorado ANG, 188th FS New Mexico ANG and 186th FS Montana ANG. The second rotation was the 421st FS, 388th FW from Hill. The current outfit is another Hill outfit, the 34th FS. This patch does not come with velcro attached.
