[ravingnutter]

Well...I found this at the U.N. site...

DO AMERICAN TROOPS SERVE UNDER FOREIGN COMMANDERS?

The U.S. Commander-in-Chief never relinquishes his command authority over U.S. troops. American commanding officers retain authority over their own military forces serving in UN operations, including disciplinary and personnel matters, and troops can be withdrawn at the discretion of the U.S. The UN Force Commander has overall operational control of a mission, but is not permitted to change the mission agreed upon by the U.S. President, divide U.S. units, reallocate their supplies, administer discipline, or change a unit's organization. When a significant number of U.S. troops are involved, operational control remains in American hands or in the hands of a trusted military ally such as a NATO member.

DO AMERICAN TROOPS WEAR UNITED NATIONS UNIFORMS?

U.S. troops participating in UN peacekeeping missions wear their American military uniforms. To identify themselves as part of a UN peacekeeping force, they also wear blue berets or helmets with the UN insignia. U.S. soldiers on peacekeeping missions do not swear allegiance to the United Nations.

U.N. Peacekeeping FAQs

[Prodigal Son]

Good post. There's always a lot of hyperbole involved in this issue. The last time I saw it brought up (Michael New) on FR, the article said his command ordered him to cut the US Flag patch off his uniform and people were outraged. The article made it seem like all the soldiers had to cut their US Flag off in order to participate in the mission when in fact you have to add the US Flag to the uniform in order to participate in the UN. What they failed to realize is he would have been out of uniform in garrison for sewing it on- you don't wear your national flag patch when you're in garrison- which New was once he refused to be deployed. Nobody else on Conn Barracks would have been wearing a US Flag either.

[A Navy Vet]

Did anyone bother to read this? Our troops are NOT under UN authorities. They're commanding officers have final say, but the UN theater commander provides the general operational control in agreement with US.

"The U.S. Commander-in-Chief never relinquishes his command authority over U.S. troops. American commanding officers retain authority over their own military forces serving in UN operations, including disciplinary and personnel matters, and troops can be withdrawn at the discretion of the U.S. The UN Force Commander has overall operational control of a mission, but is not permitted to change the mission agreed upon by the U.S. President, divide U.S. units, reallocate their supplies, administer discipline, or change a unit's organization. When a significant number of U.S. troops are involved, operational control remains in American hands or in the hands of a trusted military ally such as a NATO member."

"U.S. troops participating in UN peacekeeping missions wear their American military uniforms. To identify themselves as part of a UN peacekeeping force, they also wear blue berets or helmets with the UN insignia. U.S. soldiers on peacekeeping missions do not swear allegiance to the United Nations."