Posted on 03/04/2005 9:41:41 PM PST by Former Military Chick
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq — Maybe they should all be the same.
Or perhaps they could all be different to reflect a soldier’s military occupational specialty.
While many soldiers said they thought everyone facing combat should be awarded some type of badge, few could agree on what the Close Combat Badge should look like.
The Army, which recently announced the new badge, has not released information about its design.
“I think the engineer corps, signal, artillery, [military police] should design their own,” said Spc. Garrett Nodell of the 983rd Engineer Battalion. “I want to wear something that reflects engineering.”
Nodell suggested a badge with a hammer or ax.
The background could be baby blue, like that of the traditional Combat Infantryman Badge, said Spc. Stan Eichelberger of 1st Battalion, 33rd Field Artillery Regiment. The CIB shows a musket on a baby blue background with a wreath around it.
“To signal the infantry part of it,” Eichelberger said. “Maybe they could tie all the [MOSs] together in one crest that reflects all the MOSs.”
Staff Sgt. Jason Ohm of the 983rd’s Headquarters Support Company and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, hadn’t thought about it much because he works as a cook and carpenter and isn’t eligible. He thought if the new badge had a baby blue background like the infantry badge, it would just confuse people.
“Then everybody would just think you were infantry,” Ohm said.
Then he added that one badge should cover all the various specialties if its wearer participated in infantry-style combat.
“One thing across the board,” Ohm said.
Ohm’s unit mate, Spc. Terry Rice, agreed.
“Why change the combat badge; it’s been here all these years,” Rice said. “To me, if you start separating everything from everything else, it doesn’t respect the soldier.
“It should be ‘one Army, one fight.’”
Yes, expert on both, platoon high shooter with my M16A1.
Guess the difference is I didn't expect a ribbon for doing what grunts are expected to do.
OK. You earned Expert, and you wore that proudly, as you should.
You know, I earned my Expert with grenade almost 20 years ago, maybe it's one more thing about basic training that has been changed. Ugh, I hope not.
Old Armor/Cav "ossifer" here: I earned expert on ALL my weapons (pistol, rifle, grenade) and I never got to wear a qual. badge...although technically "authorized" in the AR's, officers just DON'T wear qualification badges.
Umm ok. I am happy for you. The fact that you never wore your qual badges has nothing to do with AR670-1. Did you earn and not wear a CIB, Airborne or Ranger Tab? I think not.
I bet it's more of a case of you being selective in what you chose to wear.
What about a Combat Action Ribbon? If you earned one would you wear it?
The point of this thread is that DA is putting out a Combat Action Ribbon.
Combat Engineer and Field Artillery will put the badges on the gals...and I think that is the real point of this whole exercise.
I don't think the Signaleers or MP's are eligible.
Actually, on some uniforms I have neither my jump wings or right shoulder patch. Given what I am doing now, they don't count for much and probably shouldn't.
Unless its changed since I retired your weapons qualification can be added to your marksmanship badge as a hanger at whatever level you qualified at (Marksman, Sharpshooter, or expert) was that way for all of the 26 years I was on active duty. THe qualifications must be renewed annually.
THere's alos an expret driver's badge and hangers gor whheled and tracked vehicles as well as mechanic can be added. THat badge is pretty much permanent.
Problem is that many units don't bother to cut orders for anything but expert with weapons. The Drivers badge requires orders as well.
You are correct about the qualifications, annual quals have to be maintained. I have the drivers badge (wheeled), in addition to expert on rifle and pistol. These have been renewed annually, and if the unit qualifies on a certified range, and it is recorded, it goes in the 201 file.
... and sadly, yes it does depend on how thurough your unit is with its paperwork. (as always)
Actually, if you want to be technical. There is one MOS I know are always with the Infantry (Grunts), and sometimes have to go ahead of them and find the Enemy. These units are the FO's or Fisters. Also known technically as 13 Foxtrot MOS. These guys saves the @$$es of infantry and many other units almost daily. Do they ever receive special ribbons or badges, no. I think they should receive something equal to the CIB, if not the CIB itself. We roll with the grunts, we shoot like the grunts, we are the grunts. Redlegs.
Why all the fuss now I don't know: we have been through three wars without having to issue this award. Are they going to award all of the FA/EN/MS guys who served in Bastogne, Tarawa, Pusan and Tet? Bottom line, this is to appease the Pat Schroeders of the world...nothing more.
Since YOU chose to respond in a smart ass tone, so will I:
"Umm ok. I am happy for you. The fact that you never wore your qual badges has nothing to do with AR670-1. Did you earn and not wear a CIB, Airborne or Ranger Tab? I think not."
Um, I'm happy for you too, although I doubt from your comments that YOU are truly a happy person(...you know the VA has a really good psyche eval program if you're suffering from PTSD.) Yes, I DID EARN the Airborne badge AND the Ranger tab, as well as the Air Assault AND, Pathfinder badge! Did you??? Probably not. And before you go attempting to slam me by saying Armor officers don't get pathfinder badges, I was a Scout Platoon Leader...and yes, scouts get Ranger slots, AND Pathfinder slots on occasion...I was lucky.
"I bet it's more of a case of you being selective in what you chose to wear."
I'm glad you are such a pyschic. I guess I was wrong in thinking you didn't earn "jump wings", seeing that you're so good a "jumping to conclusions!"
As far as being "selective" about WHAT I wore (and still wear) on my uniform...(you can call me Major or Sir, seargent!), WRONG ANSWER! Although "EM's" and "Non coms" wear their "Qual" badges, officers don't...even though it's clearly in AR 670-1, we just don't. Why? That's never been CLEARLY answered to my satisfaction. However, as a young LT, who wore his "qual" badges to his very first "Class A" inspection, and who received an "ass chewing" and subsequent lecture from "The old man", that officer's DON'T wear "marksmanship" badges, that was good enough explanation for me. If you were a "squared away" NCO, as you have so resoundingly claimed to be, you would KNOW that officers generally DON'T wear MKM badges...open thine eyes and yea shall see!
"What about a Combat Action Ribbon? If you earned one would you wear it?"
Yes I would...I wear my combat patch, so why wouldn't I wear a CAR!? As a matter of fact, if I was told I could ONLY wear ONE badge, I'd choose my combat patch over my Ranger tab, as I feel I EARNED it, I feel YOU earned yours!
"The point of this thread is that DA is putting out a Combat Action Ribbon."
Well no sh*T??? I'm glad I have you to remind me of that...dirt bag! I was trying to make the point that even though you are "authorized" to wear a badge or accoutrement DOES NOT neccesarily mean that you MUST wear it! Hell, I once served in the S-3 shop with a Major who was Ranger qualified AND who was a combat vet, who NEVER wore the Ranger Tab OR his combat patch...EVER, and NO ONE, not even the Brigade or Division commander dressed him down for that!
In closing, I must congratulate you on the following rare accomplishment: Attention to orders, In recognizing that SFC Chromey has generated enough "wind" and "hot air" on this website lately, the Secretary of the Army has awarded him with the onionsack award, because he surely, can generating enough wind to blow up an onionsack! If I must explain this to you, you have lived in a big city too long.
Black 5...out!
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