Is the Combat Infantryman's Badge still awarded, and if so how are stars determined? I remember reading, maybe on here, that there were at one time some 250 CIB's with two stars, WWII, Vietnam and Korea. How are the stars determined for the various Middle East engagements over the past 20 years?

Yes it is still awarded if earned.

As for stars, they are awarded if earned in separate wars. Right now, the whole Iraq/Afghanistan deal is considered one war, the "War on Terror". If we got into it with Iran, it too would fall under the War on Terror. If you see anyone with two stars right now, they would have been awarded for the first Gulf War, and then for the War on Terror. Not alot of those guys left around as they would be retired for the most part now. Also, the Mogadishu battle had some awarded too.

Edit: Caveat- Special Forces Soldiers are awarded the CIB, and they could have multiple stars based on their secret missions.....but they would not advertise them or wear them for the most part since those secret missions are to be kept secret.

clarythedrill said:

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Edit: Caveat- Special Forces Soldiers are awarded the CIB, and they could have multiple stars based on their secret missions.....but they would not advertise them or wear them for the most part since those secret missions are to be kept secret.

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Everything is under GWOT. Even SMU guys on weekend trips still fall under GWOT

Roger... I believe the reg. separates the award by period of time as the measure, not so much by the "war". But yes, the all-encompassing GWOT is filling this period of time.

Tango_Mike said:

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clarythedrill said:

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Edit: Caveat- Special Forces Soldiers are awarded the CIB, and they could have multiple stars based on their secret missions.....but they would not advertise them or wear them for the most part since those secret missions are to be kept secret.

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Everything is under GWOT. Even SMU guys on weekend trips still fall under GWOT

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You are correct. What I was referring to was before the GWOT when SF dudes were out shwacking people and those missions were never disclosed to the news or general public. I did not get that across in the above post.

Is the CIB still awarded for qualifying service in/near the Korean DMZ?

DogCo84 said:

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Is the CIB still awarded for qualifying service in/near the Korean DMZ?

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Edit from regulation (AR 600-8-22)

Paragraph 8-6(a)(1)(b)

SF officers/enlisted are eligible after 20 December 1989. Retroactive awards prior to 20 December 1989 are not authorized

Paragraph 8-6(c)(2)

Korean War eligibility from 27 June 1950 to 27 July 1953.

Paragraph 8-6(e)(6)

Veterans and servicemembers who served in Korea on the DMZ from 4 January 1969 to 31 March 1994 can apply for for award to the HRC Commander with appropriate documentation.

Paragraph 8-6(c)(5)(a,b,c)

OIF, Afghanistan, and Inherent Resolve (who comes up with these euphemistic names?) are all under one umbrella. There was no award authorized from 31 March 1994 (Somalia) until GWOT (18 Sept 2001)

clarythedrill said:

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I did not get that across in the above post.

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Don't beat yourself up, I thought your description made perfect sense.

My grandparents' next door neighbor had a 3 star CIB. WWII (PTO - Luzon), Korea (from the very start of it in the Pusan Perimeter). and Vietnam (multiple tours). Was a lifer and was never married. Smoked like a chimney and wore a Ridgeway everyday.

It is possible (and even slightly plausible) to have a soldier who served in Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Somalia, and some portion of the GWOT and actually still in service. Said individual would either be a very senior Sergeant Major or a 4-star at this point.

But by my reading of the reg, they would only have a CIB (1st award) with one star (2nd award.) Grenada, Panama, ODS, and Somalia are all in one group by my reading, so no repeat awards for doing more than one.

Note that any enlisted soldier would have to be an 11B or 11C, as there were no mechanized (11M) units involved in Grenada or Somalia. There was one mechanized battalion (4-6 Infantry, 5ID) that took part in the Panama operation. And any such individual would have been an 11Z (1SG/CSM) by the time GWOT rolled around. (It would also be possible to have been an 11B/C in Grenada, then transitioned to SF 18-series for one or more of the later conflicts.)

I think most of the later conflicts get lumped into a group only qualifying for a single award because Big Army didn't fell like it was right that a soldier who, for example, served in the 1st Infantry Division in WWII and fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France, would only qualify for a single award despite a huge number of days in combat, while someone who spent just a few weeks at most getting shot at in Grenada and Panama would qualify for 2.

clarythedrill said:

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Yes it is still awarded if earned.

As for stars, they are awarded if earned in separate wars. Right now, the whole Iraq/Afghanistan deal is considered one war, the "War on Terror". If we got into it with Iran, it too would fall under the War on Terror. If you see anyone with two stars right now, they would have been awarded for the first Gulf War, and then for the War on Terror. Not alot of those guys left around as they would be retired for the most part now. Also, the Mogadishu battle had some awarded too.

Edit: Caveat- Special Forces Soldiers are awarded the CIB, and they could have multiple stars based on their secret missions.....but they would not advertise them or wear them for the most part since those secret missions are to be kept secret.

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This is correct except for the Special Forces part. I'm a retired 18D. We do get awarded CIBs for combat operation, but we don't get stars for 'secret missions'. If we do something classified it's probably not in a declared combat zone, so we don't get awarded CIBs. Anything we do in a declared combat zone falls under the same rules as any other member of the Infantry. Infantry and Special Forces are the only branches awarded the CIB.

Rabid Cougar said:

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My grandparents' next door neighbor had a 3 star CIB. WWII (PTO - Luzon), Korea (from the very start of it in the Pusan Perimeter). and Vietnam (multiple tours). Was a lifer and was never married. Smoked like a chimney and wore a Ridgeway everyday.

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Not trying to be nit-picky, but wouldn't that just be a 2-star CIB?

First award: Plain CIB - WWII;

Second award: CIB w 1-Star - for WWII/Korea;

Third award: CIB w 2-star - WWII/Korea/Vietnam?

Or does it not work that way?

I believe you are correct..

DogCo84 said:

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Rabid Cougar said:

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My grandparents' next door neighbor had a 3 star CIB. WWII (PTO - Luzon), Korea (from the very start of it in the Pusan Perimeter). and Vietnam (multiple tours). Was a lifer and was never married. Smoked like a chimney and wore a Ridgeway everyday.

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Not trying to be nit-picky, but wouldn't that just be a 2-star CIB?

First award: Plain CIB - WWII;

Second award: CIB w 1-Star - for WWII/Korea;

Third award: CIB w 2-star - WWII/Korea/Vietnam?

Or does it not work that way?

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This is correct.

DogCo84 said:

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Rabid Cougar said:

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My grandparents' next door neighbor had a 3 star CIB. WWII (PTO - Luzon), Korea (from the very start of it in the Pusan Perimeter). and Vietnam (multiple tours). Was a lifer and was never married. Smoked like a chimney and wore a Ridgeway everyday.

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Not trying to be nit-picky, but wouldn't that just be a 2-star CIB?

First award: Plain CIB - WWII;

Second award: CIB w 1-Star - for WWII/Korea;

Third award: CIB w 2-star - WWII/Korea/Vietnam?

Or does it not work that way?

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All, I checked with my Dad who has the badge. You are correct; it is a two star CIB. It's probably been 45 +/-years since I the last I saw it. He had lots of cool army stuff in his house and garage, like arty/tank shell casings and Japanese katana's and such. Very neat person to a 10 year old kid. He died of throat cancer in the early 70's.

with apologies...

No need to apologize at all.

Sounds like he was an amazing man.

O hail o hail o infantry

Queen of battle, follow me..

anyone remember the rest of this jodie?

O hail o hail o infantry

Queen of battle, follow me

We'll get there right after the R-Till-Er-Ree


The devil made me do that