Combat Action Badge

Combat Action Badge
U.S. Army Combat Action Badge
Awarded by United States Army
Type	Badge
Eligibility	Serving with a U.S. Army unit
Awarded for	Active engagement or being engaged by the enemy after September 18, 2001
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	May 2, 2005
First awarded	June 29, 2005
Last awarded	Ongoing
Distinct recipients	68,686 in OIF (as of June 26, 2012) 37,914 in OEF (as of June 26, 2012) 3,828 in OND (as of June 26, 2012)
Precedence
Next (higher)	None
Next (lower)	Combat Medic Badge / Expert Field Medical Badge
Related	Combat Infantryman Badge Expert Field Medical Badge Combat Action Ribbon (USN/USMC) Combat Action Ribbon (USCG) Combat Action Medal (USAF)

The Combat Action Badge (CAB) is a military badge worn by U.S. Army soldiers. The emblem features both an M9 bayonet and M67 grenade. The Combat Action Badge may be awarded to any soldier not eligible for the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) or Combat Medical Badge (CMB) after the date of September 18, 2001 performing duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is authorized, who is personally present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement. The CAB may be awarded to any branch of service or military occupational specialty including infantrymen except when serving in a role where they would be eligible for the CIB.

The Combat Action badge is unique in that unlike the Combat Infantry and Combat Medical badges it can be awarded to soldiers of any rank, to include General Officers, whereas the CIB and CMB are both restricted to Colonels and below. A silver badge 2 inches (5.08 cm) in width overall consisting of an oak wreath supporting a rectangle bearing a bayonet surmounting a grenade, all silver. Stars are added at the top to indicate subsequent awards; one star for the second award and two stars for the third award. However, only one can be awarded per "qualifying period;" as defined in AR 600-8-22, the only qualifying period for the CAB is the Global War on Terrorism. Thus, only one CAB can be awarded to any soldier at this time. In comparison to the CIB, the CAB has a silver rectangle backing rather than blue, and the CAB is 1 inch shorter in length than the CIB.

Since the Combat Infantryman Badge was introduced in 1943, followed by the Combat Medical Badge in 1945, other branches argued in favor of their own badges, but a War Department review board just after the war ruled these out. Unofficial combat badges for non-infantry soldiers were in some instances worn in violation of uniform regulations or included in personal award displays wherein the rifle and blue field of the CIB were replaced with the appropriate branch insignia and color. These unofficial combat badges began to appear shortly after the creation of the Combat Infantryman Badge and while the practice continued until the creation of an official non-infantry combat badge it never became widespread.