US Army Combat Action Badge

Started by TopJack, January 27, 2020, 04:32:07 PM

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TopJack

I am new to CAP.  I retired from the US Army and I am trying to find out what is authorized for wear on the CAP Uniform.  I noticed that the Combat Infantrymen's Badge is authorized.  Since the Combat Action Badge (CAB) is an equal award for support Soldiers (and can be worn by Airmen who earned it) is it authorized for wear on the CAP Uniform? 

Additionally, I see that the Air Assault Badge can be worn, I assume that the Airborne Badge is authorized.  In the Army I could wear my CAB, Airborne Badge and Air Assault Badge over my ribbons.  Reading your regulations it appears that I can only wear two of these badges.  Is this correct? 

N6RVT

Quote from: TopJack on January 27, 2020, 04:32:07 PMI see that the Air Assault Badge can be worn, I assume that the Airborne Badge is authorized.  In the Army I could wear my CAB, Airborne Badge and Air Assault Badge over my ribbons.  Reading your regulations it appears that I can only wear two of these badges.  Is this correct?

The USAF has a limit of two so CAP has the same rule.  Military badges are worn only on the USAF style uniform.  And in addition, if you have CAP wings of any type, those HAVE to be worn.  On top of that, once your ribbon & badge stack hits the upper notch of the lapel on the coast you have to stop.  And nothing goes on the pocket flap of anything ever.

In my case on Blues this results in Senior Observer over jump wings, over military & CAP ribbons (Also retired army).  On CAP whites its is Senior Observer over master ground team over CAP ribbons only.

In the Army we wore everything,  In the USAF it doesn't work that way - you will be leaving stuff off.  For you I would wear air assault & jump wings as those are the most aviation oriented.  And you may well discover that if you wear both - some of the ribbons will have to come off to avoid it being too tall.  And thats with no CAP stuff on the uniform at all.

GroundHawg

As has been said above.  You can wear your CAB, your Jump Wings, or the AA badge as long as its on your 214 or NGB22. Any military badge authorized for wear by the Air Force can be worn. You are correct in that you can only wear two, and only on Blues, ABU's or BDU's. We follow Air Force wear instructions meaning that the Jump Wings are considered an aeronautical rating and will take precedence over all others so you would wear them above your AA badge or CAB, and below any CAP aeronautical wings.   

Also, any foreign awards are worn AFTER CAP awards so if you have MFO, NATO, UN, etc.. they go on last.

TopJack

Thank you this information was very helpful. 

THRAWN

Wear CAP stuff on the CAP uni and Army stuff on the Army uni. No confusion. No ambiguity in the regs.
Strup-"Belligerent....at times...."
AFRCC SMC 10-97
NSS ISC 05-00
USAF SOS 2000
USAF ACSC 2011
US NWC 2016
USMC CSCDEP 2023

Gunsotsu

Quote from: THRAWN on January 28, 2020, 04:46:08 PM
Wear CAP stuff on the CAP uni and Army stuff on the Army uni. No confusion. No ambiguity in the regs.

This is the only correct answer.

jeders

Quote from: Gunsotsu on January 28, 2020, 05:26:43 PM
Quote from: THRAWN on January 28, 2020, 04:46:08 PM
Wear CAP stuff on the CAP uni and Army stuff on the Army uni. No confusion. No ambiguity in the regs.

This is the only correct answer.

While certainly the simplest answer, it is far from being the only correct answer.
If you are confident in you abilities and experience, whether someone else is impressed is irrelevant. - Eclipse

Mitchell 1969

Did I read recently that the "below the notch" requirement has been or will be abandoned? Or was I dreaming it?


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_________________
Bernard J. Wilson, Major, CAP

Mitchell 1969; Earhart 1971; Eaker 1973. Cadet Flying Encampment, License, 1970. IACE New Zealand 1971; IACE Korea 1973.

CAP has been bery, bery good to me.

jeders

Just dreaming it as far as I know; though I would love to see it eliminated.
If you are confident in you abilities and experience, whether someone else is impressed is irrelevant. - Eclipse

Jester

Supposedly it's removed in the new 39-1 that's been supposedly coming out for a couple of years now.

baronet68

Quote from: Jester on January 30, 2020, 02:10:20 PMSupposedly it's removed in the new 39-1 that's been supposedly coming out for a couple of years from now.

Fixed that for you.  ;)  ;D  >:D
Michael Moore, Lt Col, CAP
National Recruiting & Retention Manager

Hawk200

Quote from: jeders on January 28, 2020, 05:29:06 PM
Quote from: Gunsotsu on January 28, 2020, 05:26:43 PM
Quote from: THRAWN on January 28, 2020, 04:46:08 PMWear CAP stuff on the CAP uni and Army stuff on the Army uni. No confusion. No ambiguity in the regs.

This is the only correct answer.

While certainly the simplest answer, it is far from being the only correct answer.
Agreed.

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Hawk200

Quote from: Mitchell 1969 on January 30, 2020, 08:02:20 AMDid I read recently that the "below the notch" requirement has been or will be abandoned? Or was I dreaming it?

Oh, I hope so.

There's a few other things would like to see, but still hoping to see something on a new uniform manual somewhat soon.

PHall

Of course there was a reason the "below the notch" rule came about.
Someone under 5'-9" with 20+ ribbons and two badges above the ribbons...
Not a pretty sight!

Stonewall

For clarification, the Air Force rule does ONLY allow for 2 badges ABOVE the ribbons (or two above the USAF name tape on ABU/OCPs), but, the Air Force does authorize TWO ADDITIONAL badges be worn in other locations.

In addition to then 2 badges above the USAF tape on the ABU, 2 more may be worn centered on the ABU pockets, for a total of FOUR badges.

On the service coat, the additional 2 badges may be worn below the ribbons, centered on the pocket, with a FOURTH badge placed on the wearer's right side, centered and even with the badge on the wearer's left.

I wore 4 badges on my ABUs since about 2015 when they authorized those 2 additional badges, but since switching to OCPs, am only wearing 2.

That's the Air Force. CAP, to my knowledge, never authorized  additional skill badges to be worn in that fashion.
Serving since 1987.

Stonewall

Here's an example of a THIRD skill badge being placed BELOW the ribbons. The other badge, on CZ's right side is the CJCS badge. However, a FOURTH badge, such as Air Assault or Pathfinder could be worn there. Again, a total of FOUR badges may be worn on blues in the AIR FORCE, I do not believe those same badges are authorized to be worn that way in CAP.

Serving since 1987.

GroundHawg

Quote from: Stonewall on February 02, 2020, 02:38:25 PMI wore 4 badges on my ABUs since about 2015 when they authorized those 2 additional badges, but since switching to OCPs, am only wearing 2.



At Balad, I had a couple of ABU tops with 4 badges done and had them sew in some zippers from some abandoned ACU tops I found in the laundry. Both tops cost me a total of $10. If I were stateside I would have had to take out a mortgage.

Chad.Rogers

I've been meaning to read the AF uniform regs one of these days but apparently a fourth device is authorized on the right side. I don't readily see a photo of a guy in fatigues to share as I have in the past but I did find some PJs wearing a fourth badge. Unfortunately it won't allow me to attach the photos. I understand it's not applicable to us though. Retired Army here as well by the way.


N6RVT

Quote from: Stonewall on February 02, 2020, 02:43:05 PMHere's an example of a THIRD skill badge being placed BELOW the ribbons. The other badge, on CZ's right side is the CJCS badge. However, a FOURTH badge, such as Air Assault or Pathfinder could be worn there. Again, a total of FOUR badges may be worn on blues in the AIR FORCE, I do not believe those same badges are authorized to be worn that way in CAP.

This may be because the USAF does not use specialty track awards which count as 2 of the allowable badge count, so it could be said we do, in fact, wear four.