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Johnnie-I’ve forgotten more about what it takes to qualify for a combat award than you’ll ever know-and I’m not talking about regulations. If you choose to go into fits of apoplexy because I wonder at a General officer wearing an award that I have seen other soldiers turned down for, that’s your prerogative. I’m not the only poster to have commented on such behavior on your part.

There’s some more of that reason and courtesy that you are so well known for hereabouts.

No, the award was not created until 2005, although it was made retroactive until 2001. Before the creation of the CAB the Army had proposed the Close Combat Badge for Engineers, Tankers, Artillerymen and other combat MOS's.

The point I was responding to was that Patraeus might have earned the award as a junior officer, which is not possible.

While it is possible for him to have earned the award in Iraq, it does give me pause as I personally know other-more junior-soldiers whose award was denied on a technecality.

Please explain this. What has one soldier being denied a CAB have to do with another soldier being denied the same one. Is there evidence of, as you seem to be saying, a trivial reason that would make him ineligible?

Very well. I believe that a General officer might not face as great a difficulty geting his award approved as would a junior soldier (who-as I pointed out earlier-had their requests for award denied for trivial reasons). It seems to me that a General officer would not be in position to qualify for such an award as would regular soldiers who run regular missions and patrols (our division commander, for example, moved from FOB to FOB by helicopter). For all I know, Patraeus is perfectly desering of his award. But I know soldiers who are just as deserving who have had their award denied and I wonder at the discrepancy.

No doubt several individuals have decorations they did not earn. My understanding is that LBJ was awarded a Silver Star for a mission he never took part in.

I am convinced that the main thing that distinguishes some award recipients from other soldiers is how their recommendation for award was written (and what sort of mood the approval authority was in when they reviewed the form 689).

I understand. I am not personally eligible for the CAB (instead I have been awarded the CMB). However, when we were deployed several of the soldiers attached to our squadron were denied their CAB in cases that were never adequately explained (for instance two of the guys in a HWMMV that was hit by an IED got it while the other two did not). It makes me raise an eyebrow to see a General officer wearing it.

Not possible. Tbe award was not created until 2005.

It is impossible for him to have earned it before he became a General officer as it was only created in 2005. Others have clarified the regulation regarding this, but I am feel compelled to call it into question since I know many other soldiers whose CAB was denied due to trivial reasons.

It is not possible since the award was only created in 2005. It is probably deserved, but I do feel entitled to wonder whether it is or not given that I know several junior soldiers who have had the award denied due to minor reasons.

I’m tracking-see my reply 47. I personally know soldiers who served a full tour in Iraq whose CAB was denied for what I think were trivial interpretations of the regulation. Because of that, I think it is entirely appropriate to ask questions when I see a General officer wearing it.

I think it is infinitely more likely that he earned the BSM with V in a previous conflict as he was a division commander in Iraq and probably wasn’t as likely to be in position to show valor (commanders usually have a PSD to protect them). As I said, some of the guys I drill with were wondering about the CAB-I am unsure about the requirements under the regulation.

I am not sure what AR 60-8-22 says about the CAB. I believe that it says that the CMB is not to be awarded to officers above the rank of Colonel-and says the same about the CIB. There may not be any similar restriction on award of the CAB, but that is the only thing I can think of that might apply (other than the Kossacks being full of crap).

Haig never wore a CAB as it is a new award that has only been awarded since the start of the GWOT. He probably wore a CIB (Combat Infantryman’s Badge) which he earned as a junior officer in WWII (or Korea). Patraeus may have been awarded the CAB-I am unsure of the regulation-but combat badges are generally not awarded to senior officers.

Some of the guys I drill with were wondering about his CAB (Combat Action Badge) as combat badges are not generally awarded to General officers. I am not really certain as to what the regulation is about awarding the CAB though, but perhaps this is what the Kossacks are refering to.

I would never try to have a seventeen year-old charged with statutory rape if I knew the sex had been consensual.

Agree entirely. I understand the dad's reaction, but I remember being a kid as well. Once upon a time the "authorities" might have said that this matter was best left as is, but now they will have to pursue charges against both the kid and the dad. I don't see how sending either of them to jail will help matters at all.

Shuler is from NC (Swain county), he lived in TN for most of his adult life, but he wasn't exactly a carpetbagger.

Taylor had ethical questions that hurt him, but hopefully our own Congressman Billybob will be able to retake the seat in '08.

ASU alum here-class of 1991. Watched the game on the Big Ten network on DirectTV.

Hey, how about those Apps? This is almost as big as the two national titles. But now we have to try to threepeat. If we would have lost today, but won the national championship-then we wouldn't be disappointed. However, if we don't win another title after this-it will be a huge disappointment.

Just what is a “progressive” anyway? I hear lefties use that term to describe themselves, but how is it any different from traditional leftism other than it has been rebranded as “progressivism”?

Wikipedia lists 23.

I read that same article. From what we know up till now, it would seem that Tillman’s death was a terrible accident. Too much would have to be contrived for this to be an intentional murder-including Tillman’s own actions.