We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:06:13 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, fight house-to-house during Operation Baton Rouge, in Samarra, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Johancharles Van Boers. These soldiers don't qualify for a badge at least equivalent to, if not, the Combat Infantryman's Badge? Explain, if you will, how these soldiers, fighting in this way, don't qualify, while 11-series MOS soldiers a block over do *exactly the same thing* do qualify? Is it time for a re-think on 'combat badges'? I'm not dissing the CIB or the medic's equivalent, the Combat Field Medical Badge. Both are earned by sticking... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html Thu, 07 Oct 2004 14:04:20 -0600 Hey - I didn't get a purple heart for the dysentary Smiley our cook gave us, nor for the Malaria I came home with, but I believe I did earn my CIB [MOS 4740, 4748]. I see no fault with any of the suggestions here except the no pretties idea. I would like to see the ratio of medals between ossifers and EMs evened a bit. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7409 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7409 Fri, 08 Oct 2004 15:53:56 -0600 My old Branch didn't, and to the best of my knowlege still doesn't, have special badges or other fancy gewgaws like that. The theory was that one is either a Marine or one isn't. The only time during my war, I recall, without research that we had to form up cooks and bakers and truck drivers, mechanics and clerks into provisional infantry platoons was Tet of '68. It didn't take long for the rust to come off and the rifleman skills to return. In my book the CIB and suchlike little shiney things should all go away. The very fact that I was wearing Uncle's suit showed that I went where Uncle sent me and did what I was told. Those in the know could read the little round scars from infected leech and insect bites that I'd spent time in the field, those who weren't in the know don't count. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7395 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7395 Fri, 08 Oct 2004 09:48:07 -0600 I don't know if anyone mentioned it but these guys might be 11B's attached to an Armor Regiment. Several times at NTC my infantry platoon was attached to an armor company. I know that would make it a TF but hey. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7392 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7392 Fri, 08 Oct 2004 08:04:00 -0600 I'd like the idea of replacing the CIB with a CAB but make the criteria incorporate both the CIB and the proposed CCB. I'm not in the military but I have played them on TV...What do you guys think about about the potential of "ticket punchers" chasing both a CIB and a CCB even though only 1 one can be worn? Wouldn't both be awards be listed in the personal records? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7375 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/tell_me_again_why.html#comment-7375 Thu, 07 Oct 2004 16:51:21 -0600