...Issued: [07/22/2008]...
A. AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS, 11 DEC 06. B. MEMORANDUM, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY (MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS), 24 JUN 08, SUBJ: PROPOSED CHANGES TO ARMY REGULATION (AR) 600-8-22.

1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO PROVIDE THE REVISED CRITERIA, APPLICABILITY, AND STANDARDS FOR AWARDING THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE, AND COMBAT ACTION BADGE.
2. A PANEL OF SENIOR OFFICERS AND NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS MET TO DISCUSS PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CRITERIA FOR AWARDING COMBAT BADGES FOR PERFORMANCE IN THE COMBAT THEATER. THE PANEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS WERE APPROVED BY THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY (MANPOWER & RESERVE AFFAIRS) ON 24 JUNE 2008.
3. CHANGES ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND RETROACTIVE TO 18 SEPTEMBER 2001.
4. THESE CHANGES WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS, 11 DECEMBER 2006.
A. COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE (CIB)
(1) PARA 8-6B(5)(B)
(A) CHANGED TO READ: "A SOLDIER MUST BE PERSONALLY PRESENT AND UNDER FIRE WHILE SERVING IN AN ASSIGNED INFANTRY OR SPECIAL FORCES PRIMARY DUTY POSITION, IN A UNIT ENGAGED IN ACTIVE GROUND COMBAT, TO CLOSE WITH AND DESTROY THE ENEMY WITH DIRECT FIRES. IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES (IEDS), VEHICLE-BORNE IEDS (VBIEDS) AND THE LIKE ARE DIRECT FIRE WEAPONS. WHILE NO FIXED, QUALIFYING DISTANCE FROM AN EXPLOSION OF THESE DEVICES CAN BE ESTABLISHED, COMMANDERS SHOULD CONSIDER THE ENTIRETY OF THE COMBAT SITUATION WHEN CONSIDERING AWARD OF THE CIB."
(B) SUMMARY OF CHANGE: WHILE NOT QUALIFYING BY THEMSELVES, ENGAGEMENT BY DIRECT FIRE WEAPONS, INCLUDING IEDS, VBIEDS AND THE LIKE, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARD OF THE CIB.
(2) PARA 8-6G
(A) CHANGED TO READ: "SUBSEQUENT AWARDS OF THE CIB ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR THE SAME QUALIFYING PERIOD, AS OUTLINED ABOVE. THE CIB MAY BE AWARDED BY THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS: (1) CURRENT AWARDS. THESE AWARDS MAY BE AWARDED BY USA HRC, ATTN: AHRC-PDP-A AND ARMY COMMANDERS IN THE GRADE OF 0-6 AND ABOVE."
(B) SUMMARY OF CHANGE: CIB APPROVAL AUTHORITY MAY BE DELEGATED TO ARMY COMMANDERS, COLONEL AND ABOVE.
(C) SOLDIERS ARE REMINDED THAT ONLY ONE CIB MAY BE AWARDED FOR GWOT, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OR LOCATION OF DEPLOYMENTS.
B. COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE (CMB)
(1) PARA 8-7B(4)
(A) CHANGED TO READ: "ON OR AFTER 18 SEPTEMBER 2001: (A) MEDICAL PERSONNEL ASSIGNED OR ATTACHED TO OR UNDER OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF ANY COMBAT ARMS UNITS OF BRIGADE OR SMALLER SIZE, WHO SATISFACTORILY PERFORM MEDICAL DUTIES WHILE THE UNIT IS ENGAGED IN ACTIVE GROUND COMBAT, PROVIDED THEY ARE PERSONALLY PRESENT AND UNDER FIRE. RETROACTIVE AWARDS UNDER THESE CRITERIA ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR SERVICE PRIOR TO 18 SEPTEMBER 2001."
(B) SUMMARY OF CHANGE: THE LANGUAGE, "NOT TO INCLUDE AVIATION" HAS BEEN DELETED FROM THE POLICY, PERMITTING MEDICAL PERSONNEL ASSIGNED, ATTACHED OR OPCON TO COMBAT AVIATION UNITS TO QUALIFY FOR THE CMB, IF OTHER CRITERIA ARE MET. RETROACTIVE AWARDS WILL NOT BE AUTHORIZED FOR SERVICE PRIOR TO 18 SEP 01.
(3) PARA 8-7G
(A) CHANGED TO READ: "THE AWARD APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR THE CMB IS THE SAME AS THE CIB (SEE PARAGRAPH 8-6G ABOVE)."
(B) SUMMARY OF CHANGE: CMB APPROVAL AUTHORITY MAY BE DELEGATED TO ARMY COMMANDERS, COLONEL AND ABOVE.
(C) AS WITH THE CIB, ONLY ONE AWARD OF THE CMB IS AUTHORIZED FOR GWOT, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OR LOCATION OF DEPLOYMENTS.
C. COMBAT ACTION BADGE (CAB)

(1) PARA 8-8J
(A) CHANGED TO READ: "THE CAB MAY BE AWARDED BY ANY COMMANDER DELEGATED AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY DURING WARTIME OR THE USA HRC, ATTN: AHRC-PDP-A. EFFECTIVE 3 JUNE 2005, COMMANDERS DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO AWARD THE CAB MAY FURTHER DELEGATE AWARD AUTHORITY TO COMMANDERS IN THE GRADE OF 0-6 OR ABOVE. AUTHORITY TO AWARD THE CAB MAY ALSO BE DELEGATED TO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER COMMANDERS. THE CAB WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN PERMANENT ORDERS. AWARD OF THE CAB IS NOT AUTOMATIC AND WILL NOT BE AWARDED SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF AWARD OF THE PURPLE HEART."
(B) SUMMARY OF CHANGES: CAB APPROVAL AUTHORITY MAY BE DELEGATED TO ARMY COMMANDERS, COLONEL AND ABOVE. CAB APPROVAL AUTHORITY MAY ALSO BE DELGATED TO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (RMC) COMMANDERS. THE CAB WILL NOT BE AUTOMATICALLY AWARDED TO RECIPIENTS OF THE PURPLE HEART.
(2) DELEGATION TO RMC COMMANDERS.
(A) SUBSEQUENT TO APPROVAL OF THE PANEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS, THE ASA(M&RA) DELEGATED CAB APPROVAL AUTHORITY TO RMC COMMANDERS.
(B) SUMMARY OF CHANGE: RMC COMMANDERS MAY NOW APPROVE THE CAB FOR THEIR PATIENTS. THIS AUTHORITY MAY NOT BE FURTHER DELGATED.
D. AUTHORITY TO AWARD COMBAT BADGES
(1) PARA 8-5
(A) CHANGED TO READ: "RECOMMENDATION AND AUTHORITY TO AWARD.
a. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARDS OF BADGES WILL BE SUBMITTED BY MEMORANDUM OR DA FORM 4187 THROUGH COMMAND CHANNELS TO THE COMMANDER AUTHORIZED TO MAKE THE AWARD.
b. BADGES MAY BE APPROVED AND AWARDED IN THE FIELD ONLY BY THE COMMANDERS AUTHORIZED TO AWARD THE RESPECTIVE BADGE AS SPECIFIED IN PARAGRAPHS BELOW.
c. ARMY COMPONENT COMMANDERS DOWN TO LTG WHO ARE DELEGATED COMBAT BADGE APPROVAL AUTHORITY MAY APPROVE EXCEPTIONS TO COMBAT BADGE POLICY TO WAIVE THE CRITERIA IN INDIVIDUAL CASES WHERE THE INTENT OF THE BADGE HAS BEEN MET.
d. AWARD OF BADGES TO ACTIVE ARMY PERSONNEL THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED BY LOCAL COMMANDERS WILL BE FORWARDED THROUGH COMMAND CHANNELS TO USA HRC, ATTN: AHRC-PDP-A, 200 STOVALL ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22332-0471.
e. THE PROCESSING OF ORDERS FOR AWARD, RESCISSION, REVOCATION, AND REINSTATEMENT OF ARMY BADGES AND TABS IS IN PARAGRAPHS 1-26C AND 1-30."
(B) SUMMARY OF CHANGE: EXCEPTION TO POLICY AUTHORITY FOR COMBAT BADGES IS DELEGATED TO ARMY COMPONENT COMMANDERS DOWN TO LTG WHO HAVE BEEN DELEGATED COMBAT BADGE APPROVAL AUTHORITY. THESE COMMANDERS ARE IN THE BEST POSITIONS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SPECIAL SITUATIONS AND MAKE DETERMINATIONS ON THE QUALIFICATION FOR BADGES.

Combat Action Badge Update...
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