nastyleg
09-20-2011, 06:52 PM
By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 18, 2011 9:13:08 EDT
Changes to the Army’s awards regulation include a rule that the combat badge may be awarded only once per qualifying period.
The current qualifying period for combat badges is the Global War on Terrorism, which encompasses operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.
Several incremental policy changes for combat badges have been consolidated into a revision of AR 600-8-22, the Army’s military awards regulation.
Retroactive award of the Combat Infantryman, Combat Medical and Combat Action badges is authorized for qualified soldiers, veterans and retires.
Applications for active and reserve soldiers should be sent through command channels to the first general officer for endorsement, and to the Awards and Decorations Branch of the Human Resources Command for processing.
Veterans and retirees should address their applications to the National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002.
“Such awards will not be made except where evidence of injustice is presented,” according to the regulation.
Here are some specific policies included in the AR 600-8-22 update:
Combat Infantryman Badge
To qualify for award of the CIB, a soldier must be personally present and under fire while in an assigned infantry or Special Forces position with a unit engaged in active ground combat, and whose mission is to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fire.
Improvised explosive devices, vehicle-borne IEDs and the like are considered direct fire weapons.
While the Army has not established a fixed, qualifying distance from an explosion of these devices, commanders should consider “the entirety of the combat situation” when considering soldiers for the award of the CIB, the regulation states.
Combat Medical Badge
Medical soldiers assigned to or under the operational control of any combat arms or combat aviation brigade or smaller unit who perform satisfactory medical duties while the unit is engaged in ground combat and who are personally present and under fire are eligible for the award of the CMB.
Retroactive awards are authorized for actions that occurred Sept. 18, 2001, and later.
The policy change deletes language that previously did not authorize the award of the CMB for service with combat aviation units.
Combat Action Badge
The CAB was established in 2005 to provide special recognition to soldiers who personally engaged, or are engaged by, the enemy.
To qualify for the badge, a soldier must be assigned to or attached to a unit that would not qualify the soldier for the CIB or CMB.
For example, an 11B infantry soldier assigned to a corps staff is eligible for the CAB, while an 11B assigned to an infantry battalion is not eligible for the CAB.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/09/army-combat-badge-change-091811/
Posted : Sunday Sep 18, 2011 9:13:08 EDT
Changes to the Army’s awards regulation include a rule that the combat badge may be awarded only once per qualifying period.
The current qualifying period for combat badges is the Global War on Terrorism, which encompasses operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.
Several incremental policy changes for combat badges have been consolidated into a revision of AR 600-8-22, the Army’s military awards regulation.
Retroactive award of the Combat Infantryman, Combat Medical and Combat Action badges is authorized for qualified soldiers, veterans and retires.
Applications for active and reserve soldiers should be sent through command channels to the first general officer for endorsement, and to the Awards and Decorations Branch of the Human Resources Command for processing.
Veterans and retirees should address their applications to the National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002.
“Such awards will not be made except where evidence of injustice is presented,” according to the regulation.
Here are some specific policies included in the AR 600-8-22 update:
Combat Infantryman Badge
To qualify for award of the CIB, a soldier must be personally present and under fire while in an assigned infantry or Special Forces position with a unit engaged in active ground combat, and whose mission is to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fire.
Improvised explosive devices, vehicle-borne IEDs and the like are considered direct fire weapons.
While the Army has not established a fixed, qualifying distance from an explosion of these devices, commanders should consider “the entirety of the combat situation” when considering soldiers for the award of the CIB, the regulation states.
Combat Medical Badge
Medical soldiers assigned to or under the operational control of any combat arms or combat aviation brigade or smaller unit who perform satisfactory medical duties while the unit is engaged in ground combat and who are personally present and under fire are eligible for the award of the CMB.
Retroactive awards are authorized for actions that occurred Sept. 18, 2001, and later.
The policy change deletes language that previously did not authorize the award of the CMB for service with combat aviation units.
Combat Action Badge
The CAB was established in 2005 to provide special recognition to soldiers who personally engaged, or are engaged by, the enemy.
To qualify for the badge, a soldier must be assigned to or attached to a unit that would not qualify the soldier for the CIB or CMB.
For example, an 11B infantry soldier assigned to a corps staff is eligible for the CAB, while an 11B assigned to an infantry battalion is not eligible for the CAB.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/09/army-combat-badge-change-091811/