When I was in Nam attached to the First Infantry Division as part of an ASA company (aka Radio Research) that wasn't there, one thing I coveted was the CIB Badge: Combat Infantry Badge. Hell I'd been in two fire fights, dodged god knows how many mortars and rockets, even tried to dig VC out of tunnels (me, from the outside mid you). I wore the Big Red One patch but because of who we were and where we weren't I could never qualify for the CIB, maybe rightfully so. I only lived it some little of the time, the grunt lived it 24/7/365 until they died or went home.
Sorry as I get older these things, among others, slip out. I guess it was because I was explaining to people about protecting those grunts from the zealots in Afghanistan with an Obama apology. The only way we can share these wars like we need too is to reinstate the draft, but without defferement or frivolous exception like GW Bush, Dick Cheney, & Bill Clinton got.
The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers (commissioned and warrant) holding colonel rank or below, whopersonally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size or smaller, any time after 6 December 1941.
There are specific criteria to earn a CIB and to get it listed on your DD-214. Some Units in recent wars are said to give them out like candy. I doubt that. Maybe some, but not many. It doesn't matter really, If you have a CIB and have not earned it you know it.
God bless the Grunts who have.
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