© Reuters / Jonathan Ernst
Navy airmen from the USS Wasp donned the patches, which read "Make Aircrew Great Again," in preparation for a visit from President Trump, who delivered a speech for Memorial Day while aboard. The ship is docked in Japan.
Though the photos depict a group of grinning soldiers displaying the insignia, the reaction was not all smiles.
In response to the photos, many of the critics of Donald Trump poured outrage at the troops, who they said were acting as propagandists for the president.
"Pretty hard to respect the military when they are used as propaganda," one user commented; another added that the soldiers needed "deprogramming."
Some reactions were less dramatic, lightening the mood with a little humor.
"But why are they wearing Sean Hannity on the patch?" somebody joked, prompting responses such as "I thought it was Mitt Romney," and "blonde Joe Scarborough."
Others clashed on whether such insignia is allowed and whether this is a justifiable use of "morale patches." Some insisted it wasn't, with one user adding "anyone saying these are 'morale patches' needs some training." Another came to the rescue with Air Force regulations, which, it turns out, don't apply to the Navy, while a self-described Navy vet said the insignia "makes me want to puke."
At long last, an Air Force vet came along to clear up the controversy.
While military rules surrounding "morale patches" vary by branch and unit, it is not uncommon for units to design humorous or tongue-in-cheek insignia for special occasions. Previous designs have featured Krusty the Clown of Simpsons fame, rock n' roll monarch Elvis Presley (accompanied by the words "If he's out there, we'll find him"), as well as the Kool-Aid Man.
THE CULT has a strict verbal, non-written bill of rights. Breaking any one point of THE CULT doctrine and you are immediately labeled a RACIST FACIST:
CULT MEMBERS all are equal. They all receive the same free stuff. They are also free to be openly as degenerate as they desire and that's GOOD and it's DIVERSE. And they are also free from any responsibility whatsoever from anything. They are perpetual victims.
THE CULT loves to recruit black, hispanic and anybody non-white. They realize they already have a head start with these non-white people. It is simple to tell them they have been victimized, and to join THE CULT
THE CULT desires to be GREEN. They love nature, yet they can't figure out if they are male or female. They don't know basic science because it excludes emotion. Yet they claim to be very smart and scientific. This is why they believe carbon dioxide is a deadly poison gas.
THE CULT says 2 genders is right-wing-white-patriarchy-racist construct. There are infinite genders, and you can choose to be any one, at any time. Anybody questioning this fact are to be immediately labeled FASCIST, RACIST & SEXIST.
THE CULT despises straight-white males. They are the mortal enemy of THE CULT.