[American_Centurion]

Yes.

They aren't issued the handgun for ceremonial purposes, if that's what you are trying to say. In some cases it's a backup weapon, however for many like Medics/corpsmen it's their PRIMARY weapon. And hell yes it's issued to carry into combat. Brave medics and corpsmen throughout WWII, Vietnam, Iraq and many other wars, have held off the enemy with their M-9 so that a patient can be evacuated instead of being captured. Tell me that isn't combat.

[robertpaulsen]

Can you support your statement that the average soldier carries a handgun into combat, issued to him by the military as part of his weaponry?

Up to this point, you've only claimed that "this group" or "that group" carries hanguns. That wasn't my question.