Combat Medical Badge
Encyclopedia
The Combat Medical Badge is an award
of the United States Army
which was first created in January 1945. The badge is awarded to any member of the Army Medical Department, at the rank of Colonel or below, who are assigned or attached to a medical unit (company or smaller size) which provides medical support to a ground combat arms unit during any period in which the unit was engaged in active ground combat. As of June 3, 2005, Special Forces medics are no longer eligible for award, but may now receive the Combat Infantryman Badge
.A revision has allowed aviation medics to be eligible for the CMB.
The Combat Medical Badge is retroactive to December 6, 1941. The original decoration was considered a one-time decoration, however this directive was rescinded in 1951 allowing for multiple awards of the Combat Medical Badge denoted by stars encircling the decoration. To date there has only been on person to have earned the Combat Medical Badge with two stars. The directive was again altered in 1969 to specify that only one award of the Combat Medical Badge is authorized for service in Vietnam
, Laos
, the Dominican Republic
, Korea
(subsequent to 4 January 1969), El Salvador
, Grenada
, Panama
, Southwest Asia, Somalia
, Iraq
and Afghanistan
regardless of whether an individual has served in one or more of these areas.
In 1947, a policy was implemented that authorized the retroactive award of the Bronze Star
to soldiers who had received the Combat Medical badge during the Second World War. The basis for doing this was that the Combat Medical Badge was awarded only to soldiers who had borne combat duties befitting the Bronze Star Medal and also that both awards required a recommendation by the commander and a citation in orders.
The CMB is authorized for award for the following qualifying
periods:
(1) World War II (7 December 1941 to 3 September 1945).
(2) The Korean War (27 June 1950 to 27 July 1953).
(3) Republic of Vietnam Conflict (2 March 1961 to 28 March 1973), combined with qualifying service in Laos (19 April 1961 to 6 October 1962).
(4) Dominican Republic (28 April 1965 to 1 September 1966).
(5) Korea on the DMZ (4 January 1969 to 31 March 1994).
(6) El Salvador (1 January 1981 to 1 February 1992).
(7) Grenada (23 October to 21 November 1983).
(8) Joint Security Area, Panmunjom, Korea (23 November 1984).
(9) Panama (20 December 1989 to 31 January 1990).
(10) Southwest Asia Conflict (17 January to 11 April 1991).
(11) Somalia (5 June 1992 to 31 March 1994).
(12) Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom, 5 December 2001 to a date to be determined).
(13) Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, 19 March 2003 to a date to be determined).
With the changes in military structure there has been some questions when it comes to the term direct support in the badge's eligibility. A statement was added in the Army regulation 600-8-22 to address this issue.
(4) Over the years, there has been some confusion concerning the phrase "...in direct support of an infantry unit...".
The CMB is intended for, and awarded to, those medical personnel who accompany the infantryman into combat. The
Army has never approved of deviations from this purpose and its restrictive criteria. During the World War II era,
medical support for infantry units in combat was provided by the medical detachments and companies of battalions and
regiments. These medical personnel and units were termed direct support. This concept lasted until Vietnam. Today,
medical personnel are assigned as organic personnel to infantry companies and are regarded as participants as opposed
to being categorized as those providing direct medical support. For example, medical personnel serving in division level
medical companies, ground ambulance and medical clearing companies, mobile-Army surgical hospital (MASH),
combat-support hospital (CSH), field hospitals, and aero-medical evacuation units are not eligible for the CMB. The sole criterion that qualifies medical personnel for award of the CMB is to be assigned or attached to an infantry unit
engaged in active ground combat. Medical personnel other than those medics organic to infantry units may qualify only
if they serve as medical personnel accompanying infantrymen. Conceivably, this could occur if an infantry unit lost all
its medics and as a temporary or permanent measure medical personnel were attached to an infantry unit, but remained
assigned to a hospital or other non-infantry unit.
Badges of the United States Army
Badges of the United States Army are military decorations issued by the United States Department of the Army to soldiers who achieve a variety of qualifications and accomplishments while serving on active and reserve duty in the United States Army....
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
which was first created in January 1945. The badge is awarded to any member of the Army Medical Department, at the rank of Colonel or below, who are assigned or attached to a medical unit (company or smaller size) which provides medical support to a ground combat arms unit during any period in which the unit was engaged in active ground combat. As of June 3, 2005, Special Forces medics are no longer eligible for award, but may now receive the Combat Infantryman Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge
The Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
.A revision has allowed aviation medics to be eligible for the CMB.
The Combat Medical Badge is retroactive to December 6, 1941. The original decoration was considered a one-time decoration, however this directive was rescinded in 1951 allowing for multiple awards of the Combat Medical Badge denoted by stars encircling the decoration. To date there has only been on person to have earned the Combat Medical Badge with two stars. The directive was again altered in 1969 to specify that only one award of the Combat Medical Badge is authorized for service in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
(subsequent to 4 January 1969), El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Southwest Asia, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
regardless of whether an individual has served in one or more of these areas.
In 1947, a policy was implemented that authorized the retroactive award of the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
to soldiers who had received the Combat Medical badge during the Second World War. The basis for doing this was that the Combat Medical Badge was awarded only to soldiers who had borne combat duties befitting the Bronze Star Medal and also that both awards required a recommendation by the commander and a citation in orders.
The CMB is authorized for award for the following qualifying
periods:
(1) World War II (7 December 1941 to 3 September 1945).
(2) The Korean War (27 June 1950 to 27 July 1953).
(3) Republic of Vietnam Conflict (2 March 1961 to 28 March 1973), combined with qualifying service in Laos (19 April 1961 to 6 October 1962).
(4) Dominican Republic (28 April 1965 to 1 September 1966).
(5) Korea on the DMZ (4 January 1969 to 31 March 1994).
(6) El Salvador (1 January 1981 to 1 February 1992).
(7) Grenada (23 October to 21 November 1983).
(8) Joint Security Area, Panmunjom, Korea (23 November 1984).
(9) Panama (20 December 1989 to 31 January 1990).
(10) Southwest Asia Conflict (17 January to 11 April 1991).
(11) Somalia (5 June 1992 to 31 March 1994).
(12) Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom, 5 December 2001 to a date to be determined).
(13) Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, 19 March 2003 to a date to be determined).
With the changes in military structure there has been some questions when it comes to the term direct support in the badge's eligibility. A statement was added in the Army regulation 600-8-22 to address this issue.
(4) Over the years, there has been some confusion concerning the phrase "...in direct support of an infantry unit...".
The CMB is intended for, and awarded to, those medical personnel who accompany the infantryman into combat. The
Army has never approved of deviations from this purpose and its restrictive criteria. During the World War II era,
medical support for infantry units in combat was provided by the medical detachments and companies of battalions and
regiments. These medical personnel and units were termed direct support. This concept lasted until Vietnam. Today,
medical personnel are assigned as organic personnel to infantry companies and are regarded as participants as opposed
to being categorized as those providing direct medical support. For example, medical personnel serving in division level
medical companies, ground ambulance and medical clearing companies, mobile-Army surgical hospital (MASH),
combat-support hospital (CSH), field hospitals, and aero-medical evacuation units are not eligible for the CMB. The sole criterion that qualifies medical personnel for award of the CMB is to be assigned or attached to an infantry unit
engaged in active ground combat. Medical personnel other than those medics organic to infantry units may qualify only
if they serve as medical personnel accompanying infantrymen. Conceivably, this could occur if an infantry unit lost all
its medics and as a temporary or permanent measure medical personnel were attached to an infantry unit, but remained
assigned to a hospital or other non-infantry unit.