Posted on Jan 15, 2016
DoD passes on proposed Army Combat Action Badge changes
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Why doesn't the Army just adopt the Navy and Marine Corps' Combat Action Ribbon, open to all MOS? The Infantry is going to jealously guard their Combat Infantry badge, and they should. My grandfather earned his (and the purple heart) Posthumously, KIA 103rd INF, 43ID , Republic of the Philippines, march 14th, 1945.
The Infantry does NOT get much in the way of "amenities" and they often live and fight in the harshest, most austere conditions. Do we really need people, especially civilians, confusing the CIB with the CAB, or some other similar looking badge, where the CIB is usually located? The Combat action Ribbon has been good enough for Sailors and Marines for some time now.
The CIB is unique to the US Army, MOS 11B and 11A. Why begrudge these tip of the spear warriors their sole right to wear that Honorable Emblem of US Army Combat Infantry Service?
The Infantry does NOT get much in the way of "amenities" and they often live and fight in the harshest, most austere conditions. Do we really need people, especially civilians, confusing the CIB with the CAB, or some other similar looking badge, where the CIB is usually located? The Combat action Ribbon has been good enough for Sailors and Marines for some time now.
The CIB is unique to the US Army, MOS 11B and 11A. Why begrudge these tip of the spear warriors their sole right to wear that Honorable Emblem of US Army Combat Infantry Service?
DoD passes on proposed Army Combat Action Badge changes
Posted from armytimes.com
Badges
Awards
Edited 6 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 9
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So you say to those of us who clear routes for the infantry, that we don't deserve to wear our CAB's?
I earned my CAB when my convoy was ambushed on July 4/5 2004. But even without that I would have earned it during the IED detonation that earned me a PH and a retirement on my 3rd deployment in 2006/7.
But we were only Combat Engineers in armored vehicles clearing IED's, we weren't the Marines, or the Army grunts kicking doors. But my company of over 100 Soldiers suffered about 55% WIA, with 2 KIA.
So I guess we don't deserve to be able to wear the Combat Action Badge because we aren't Infantry.
I earned my CAB when my convoy was ambushed on July 4/5 2004. But even without that I would have earned it during the IED detonation that earned me a PH and a retirement on my 3rd deployment in 2006/7.
But we were only Combat Engineers in armored vehicles clearing IED's, we weren't the Marines, or the Army grunts kicking doors. But my company of over 100 Soldiers suffered about 55% WIA, with 2 KIA.
So I guess we don't deserve to be able to wear the Combat Action Badge because we aren't Infantry.
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SSG Pete Williamson
I was with Task force pirate in RC east Afghanistan 2009. We took a hell of a lot of WIA and a few KIA. In Iraq in 04 we took quite a few of the same. You bet we earned that right bud!
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SGT (Join to see)
MSG never been blown up but ive watched my friends get blown up and its heart breaking
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MSG James Devereaux
That “thing” you referenced was earned with blood. If you were “given” one because you were in some shitbag, leg unit then drop a packet for a tier 1 unit and you’ll end up earning it in weeks. Then you can quit disrespecting a long time honored system and you’ll sound a lot more like a senior NCO. What is your unit and MOS that “gave” you this glorified unit award? I’ve not seen it happen so enlighten these younger soldiers that are reading a Platoon Sergeants cheapened combat experiences.
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Anyone who goes into a combat zone and does their job day in and day out is a hero to me. I don't care what the beurocrats have to say.
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Capt Lance Gallardo he reason there is a separate badge is to preserve the CIB for Infantrymen and the CMB for Medics, both creations of WWII to recognize the hardship of close combat they endured. There isn't a soldier out there that wants to take that away from them.
When the CSA created the CAB in 2005 it was to reflect the fact that there is no front. Other units were in combat engagements, and expected to be in combat engagements. MOS was not a dividing line. My logistics Battalion in 2008-2009 in Afghanistan was pushing COmbat Logistics Patrols through the same places our maneuver battalions were patrolling, in combat operations in, and in contact in. There were a months we had similar numbers of TICs as other Battalions.
As for civilians confusing the two badges, who cares? They can't tell the difference between branches of the armed services, nevermind badges.
Wearing badges on the right side is reserved for foreign awards and unit awards. CAB is a Group 1 badge and is worn accordingly.
When the CSA created the CAB in 2005 it was to reflect the fact that there is no front. Other units were in combat engagements, and expected to be in combat engagements. MOS was not a dividing line. My logistics Battalion in 2008-2009 in Afghanistan was pushing COmbat Logistics Patrols through the same places our maneuver battalions were patrolling, in combat operations in, and in contact in. There were a months we had similar numbers of TICs as other Battalions.
As for civilians confusing the two badges, who cares? They can't tell the difference between branches of the armed services, nevermind badges.
Wearing badges on the right side is reserved for foreign awards and unit awards. CAB is a Group 1 badge and is worn accordingly.
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Charles Shaw
I have always wondered why there was no badge for other combat arms. Surely Armir and Artillery fought just as hard and dangerously? But Gen. Bradley was Infantry
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