Posted on 02/12/2005 5:47:14 PM PST by neverdem
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 - Army troops assigned to combat units that come under fire will be eligible for a new badge that recognizes their efforts separately from ribbons for all who serve in Iraq or Afghanistan or who support the Pentagon's antiterrorism missions based in the United States, a senior Army official said Saturday.
The new medal, called the Close Combat Badge, was unveiled to a private conference of four-star generals convened in Washington this weekend by Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, the senior official said.
Army and Pentagon officials discussed the badge on the condition that they not be identified by name.
The badge was requested by field commanders and reflects their desire to distinguish the efforts of soldiers whose units are "organized to routinely conduct close combat operations and engage in direct combat," the Army official said.
Previous decisions that created ribbons to honor military efforts in the Bush administration's global campaign against terrorism have been harshly criticized by members of Congress, veterans and even some current service members.
The Army officer said on Saturday that the new badge was, at least in part, meant to answer some of those concerns.
The first military honor created after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was called the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and frustrated some in uniform who wanted ribbons that were awarded for specific deployments in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Some leading members of Congress, in fact, accused the Bush administration of creating one generic medal to ensure that the effort to topple Saddam Hussein of Iraq would be viewed as part of the larger antiterror campaign. That effort began with the war to unseat the Taliban government in Afghanistan and rout leaders of Al Qaeda there.
Last May, legislation creating separate campaign medals for Iraq and for Afghanistan was approved by Congress, but even the new ribbons did not differentiate between front-line combat troops and those assigned to support missions.
"The previous ribbons are awarded for service - for just being physically in the theater of operations," said a Pentagon official. "There is a ribbon now for being in Afghanistan or Iraq, and also a ribbon awarded for those based in the United States who support the mission."
In contrast, the Close Combat Badge "will be presented only to eligible soldiers who are personally present and under fire while engaged in active ground combat," the Army official said.
It will not be given to members of support units attacked while performing their missions, even though supply convoys have been a regular target of the insurgency in Iraq.
In particular, the badge will be for soldiers who serve with armored, cavalry, combat engineering and field artillery units at the brigade size or smaller that come under attack and "close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires," the Army official said.
While the Army has the authority to approve and issue the badge on its own, senior Army officers were notifying members of Congress on Saturday of the decision to issue the award to combat troops.
I’m quick to take offence sometimes. 19 of my 21 years was with the Transportation Corps, the rest of the time was with AG.
When my Purple Heart orders finally caught up to me the Colonel who presented it to me asked (with a grin) how a boat person got a Purple Heart. I replied that 40% of us earned them and went back to work.
Agreed, that's what the CIB is and I thought the same for the Combat Action Ribbon-don't see need for another.
I know little about the Army, but I thought the CIB was awarded to grunts, not to other branches who may have been under fire but are not infantry.
Thanks for finding the regulation.
It's my guess that these armored, cavalry, combat engineering and field artillery units are being used as being dismounted infantry so much that it can't be denied. I'm quite curious about how it will be designed.
pardon the dumbass redundancy, thank the Lord it's probably the end of the thread
There are several non-Infantry MOS's that get up-close and personal on a regular basis and cannot get the CIB. I think this is a good thing.
What about those soldiers who know somebody who was in combat? Is there a IKSICC ("I know someone in close combat") badge? And what about the IRACOTI ("I read about combat on the internet") badge? And, most importantly, the ITMUWICIBV ("I think my uncle was in combat in vietnam") badge?
It's called the Close Combat Badge. It's not going to be a ribbon. It will probably be like the CIB or jump wings, worn above ribbons when wearing the Class A uniform.
"In particular, the badge will be for soldiers who serve with armored, cavalry, combat engineering and field artillery units at the brigade size or smaller that come under attack and "close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires," the Army official said."
I'm certain this thing will become another must have for ambitious officers.
Fair 'nuff.
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