Command and Respect....

Ok, I know this isn't in-line with my topic idea, but I just have to rant on the subject of the military and their promotions.
So the other day at Delta College I seen this lady sitting down at one of the tables. She was in the ACU military uniform that is used by the U.S. Army. Upon closer inspection I noticed she was adorn with the rank of an E-6, also known as a Staff Sergeant. There isn't anything wrong with that I thought, that is until I noticed she had no combat patch. This is the patch worn on the right sleeve, and is only awarded to soldiers that have been over in a combat situation.
This is something that pisses me off, because if you demand command and respect from the troops you are supposed to lead, and you do not have a combat patch and they do they wont think and much of you. That was the common consensus in my old unit. When you see a private with a combat patch and then you see their squad leader who is a Sergeant with out one it kind of makes you mad. Or at least with me it does, I posted this on my facebook page the other day and I got some nice response from some friends. For example at Fort Jackson their CSM(Command Sergeant Major) does not have a combat patch, how can you demand the respect from your soldiers when you have no idea what most of them have been through.
Another example of of how the military has a messed up ranking advancement process is the late husband of Faye McDonald, the wonderful elderly lady that adopted my old unit. Her late husband had to do four combat tours before he was promoted to 1SG(First Sergeant), she said it just makes her mad to see people promoted when that have no experience in a leadership position. Well that's my rant for the day.