They really could have used CPT Dale Dye on this movie.
IIRC (It's been about 15 years since I last dealt with this) but at the time of of the PGW and at least two years after, the right sleeve shoulder patch was to be a previous combat unit patch while the left sleeve shoulder patch was to bear the current unit of assignment's patch.
In the case of the combat patch, it would have been Monfries choice as to what patch to wear since he'd been in at least two different units during two different qualifying periods of combat. (Grenada and PGW).
The left sleeve shoulder patch carries no option, it had to be the unit currently assigned to.
Specifically to your question, Drill Instructors are part of TRADOC (Training and Doctrine Command) no matter what training center they are posted. The TRADOC patch is a circle divided into three equal vertical sections. For the Class A Dress uniform the three sections from left to right to the viewer are blue, yellow, and red. The subdued patch colors are green and black, the center section being black flanked by green sections.
Thw subdued versions are often confused with the FORSCOM (Forces Command) patch, same design but with horizontal red, white and blue sections on the dress version. The subdued version is the opposite, green in the center flanked by black. The subdued versions of these patches are not interchangeable simply by rotating them.
Any deviations to the above had to be authorized by the local post commander. The most common case for deviation is in combat when ordered to remove all DUI (Distinctive Unit Insignia). Some units in the PGW removed them or covered them in 100 mile per hour tape, mine did not.
The governing regulation for uniforms back then was AR-670-1. I'm pretty sure it still would be today, but the info above might be different now.
As far as Monfries being a good soldier, you're correct. He was a lousy example in every version of events - even his own! His version of events would make Rambo blush.
Then again, Denzel Washington's character was pretty bad. Imagine a COL formally questioning a SSG and allowing him to continue jumping rope, doing the heavy bag, etc etc... Heck, imagine a COL going to him instead of having him report to a office or conference room!
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ladybegood64
15 years ago
Monfriez is wearing the Infantry School SSI in the basic training scene. This patch is shield shaped, with a bayonet on it and the words "Follow Me," which is the Infantry branch motto. I wore a similar patch while at Fort Benning for training. Presumably he is depicted as a drill instructor at Fort Benning, otherwise he would likely be wearing the TRADOC patch.
In other scenes Monfriez is seen wearing the XVIII Airborne Corps SSI as his current unit on his left side (during Desert Storm) and the 82nd Airborne Division SSI on his right side (also known Shoulder Sleeve Insignia-Former Wartime Service or SSI-FTWS) at both Fort Benning and during Desert Storm. Oddly, if this was for service with the 82nd as a paratrooper who jumped into either Granada or Panama, he should also be wearing a combat star on his jump wings, known colloquially in the military as a "mustard stain."
Before the eventual question pops up, Walden and her crew are wearing the SSI of the 44th Medical Brigade. At the time they provided the bulk of the medical assistance to XVIII Airborne Corps and accompanied them to Operations Urgent Fury (Grenada), Just Cause (Panama) and Desert Shield/Storm (Iraq/Kuwait).
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