What is the criteria for a Combat Action Badge (CAB)?

I believe statements from other soldiers present is the best and will be needed to climb your hill. Good luck on getting it. I was there from 03-04, 11Z, but under the regs I couldn't get the CIB. Guess I could have put in for the CAB, but for me, being retired, I just let it go.

Pull your records from NARA (or whomever has them) first, as you might already have the authorization in your files but you were never informed of it. When my son completed his Army active enlistment, he was not informed he was approved for the CAB. 10 years later, we pulled his Army service records to work on a VA claim, and there it was ... along with a unit citation he didn't know about. The Army is often lambasted for not getting administration correct, but apparently they do occasionally get things done right even if they don't bother telling the member they added to the service records.
Cheers, WKB

About 2 hours after we landed in Talil, the base got hit with IDF. My Commander submitted the unit for CABs. Denied. 45 other times (but who's counting) IDF came in throughout the 1 year tour. Each time, the CAB was denied. I've given up the fight on ever getting it retroactively awarded.

According to page 110 of AR 600-8-22: "On 2 May 2005, the CSA approved the creation of the CAB to provide special recognition to Soldiers who personally engaged, or are engaged by, the enemy. The CAB is intended to serve as a companion to the CIB and CMB to recognize the greatly expanded role of non-infantry Soldiers in active, ground combat.
A Soldier must be personally present and under hostile fire while performing satisfactorily in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement,... a Soldier must also be performing in an offensive or defensive act while participating in combat operations, engaging, or being engaged by the enemy." "Award of the CAB is not automatic and will not be awarded solely based on award of the PH."

So (IMHO), you must be participating in "active, ground combat" AND "performing an offensive or defensive act". So hiding under a desk = doesn't count, a mortar landing 5 feet away = doesn't count (but you probably get a PH and a free trip to Landstuhl), if your vehicle runs over an pressure-sensitive IED = doesn't count (but you probably get a PH), etc.

I know that the regulation was not followed very well and saw a platoon of Admin Soldiers in a hard building working on OERs (August 2020) who never left the building throughout a complex attack on the other side of the base, and they all got CABs... Again, they never left their desks... I had a Soldier stationed there and talked with the signing Colonel where I questioned the justification (and veracity) of the write-ups, but it was his call, not mine.

Sir, I am looking to submit myself and 4 other for retroactive CABs. We were located at FOB Shank in 2014 and received about 50 rounds of IDF while present there with 2 confirmed events that landed very close to us. Is your email still valid to reach out with questions and information on the processes?

Thank you for your time.

1LT(P) (Join to see) Yes, I'm on orders with a DoD agency so I still have the mail.mil address. I haven't had much luck with retroactive requests in the last few years but I'm certainly willing to help you submit the best package you can.

1LT - Just remember that while the actual standards in AR 600-22-8 have been changed over the years, the Current Regulation (May 2019) states:
"...CAB to provide special recognition to Soldiers who personally engaged, or are engaged by, the enemy. The CAB is intended to serve as a companion to the CIB and CMB to recognize the greatly expanded role of non-infantry Soldiers in active, ground combat."
"A Soldier must be personally present and under hostile fire while performing satisfactorily in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement, in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is authorized. For all named conflicts beginning after the effective date of this publication, a Soldier must also be performing in an offensive or defensive act while participating in combat operations, engaging, or being engaged by the enemy."
Active, Ground Combat:
So according to the regulation IDF would not qualify as it isn't "active, ground combat". Not saying IDF wasn't successfully used as a reason to give the Badge, but per the reg, there would need to be a small arms element and the Soldier was "performing an offensive or defensive act while participating in combat operations, engaging, or being engaged by the enemy".