CMB guidance

2015-01-19T07:13:07-05:00

One of my former troops informed me that one of our medics received the Combat Medical Badge over a CAB. We were a Military Police company directly attached to the 3rd ID and 3rd ACR during our tour in Iraq in 2003-2004. All the units medics saw direct combat action. Do the medics Qualify for a CMB? Any info will be helpful.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2015 7:18 AM

2015-01-19T07:18:10-05:00

This has been a sticking point for a while. Best thing is to read the definitions for both and apply the one most like your action.

Response by SFC Michael Jackson, MBA made Jan 19 at 2015 7:33 AM

2015-01-19T07:33:44-05:00

See AR 600-8-22 pg 102-03(3) Here is an excert pertaining to the particular question. As with the CIB, the infantry unit to which the medical personnel are assigned or attached must engage the enemy in active ground combat. Since inception, the intent of the Department of the Army regarding this requirement has been that medical personnel must be personally present and under fire in order to be eligible for the awarding of the badge. So stringent was this requirement during the Vietnam era that recommending officials were required to document the place (in six digit coordinates), time, type, and intensity of fire to which the proposed recipient was exposed. This fact naturally precludes the awarding of the badge to those medical personnel who accompany infantry units into a potential engagement area but do not come under enemy fire. (4) Over the years, there has been some confusion concerning the phrase "...in direct support of an infantry unit...". The CMB is intended for, and awarded to, those medical personnel who accompany the infantryman into combat. The Army has never approved of deviations from this purpose and its restrictive criteria. During the World War II era, medical support for infantry units in combat was provided by the medical detachments and companies of battalions and regiments. These medical personnel and units were termed direct support. This concept lasted until Vietnam. Today, medical personnel are assigned as organic personnel to infantry companies and are regarded as participants as opposed to being categorized as those providing direct medical support. For example, medical personnel serving in divisionlevel medical companies, ground ambulance and medical clearing companies, mobile-Army surgical hospital, combatsupport hospital, field hospitals, and aero-medical evacuation units are not eligible for the CMB. The sole criteria that qualifies medical personnel for award of the CMB is to be assigned or attached to an infantry unit engaged in active ground combat. Medical personnel other than those medics organic to infantry units may qualify only if they serve as medical personnel accompanying infantrymen. Conceivably, this could occur if an infantry unit lost all its medics and as a temporary or permanent measure medical personnel were attached to an infantry unit, but remained assigned to a hospital or other non-infantry unit.

Response by 1SG Edward Bennett made May 30 at 2018 5:26 PM

2018-05-30T17:26:50-04:00

I retired in 1998, not sure what year the CAB came out.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made May 30 at 2018 8:41 PM

2018-05-30T20:41:55-04:00

If they are Medics, then the CMB was appropriate and is equal to the CAB/CIB

Response by SSG Harry Outcalt made Aug 13 at 2018 7:51 PM

2018-08-13T19:51:26-04:00

Yes they do if they were assigned to a Infantry sqd or platoon or company engaged in active combat and took part in the action as in they dodged bullets and that would be in place of the CMB ,otherwise the CAB would be appropriate ..

Response by SSG Douglas Schoenhut made Aug 26 at 2018 11:06 PM

2018-08-26T23:06:21-04:00

Medics cannot get the CAB. If they are not supporting the right kind of unit and treating patients while under fire they cannot get the CMB the only award that medics can be awarded. There for awhile they were only allowing the lead medic in such action the CMB. (22 years a medic)