U.S. Army Chief of Staff Visits Iraqi Soldiers

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker pins a combat action badge on the uniform of U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nicole Shuman, an AH-64D Longbow Apache pilot assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, during an awards ceremony at Camp Taji, Iraq, April 19, 2006. Shuman was presented her badge for actions during a combat mission in the skies over Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jason Thompson

I never heard of a Combat action badge, so I did some research....

WASHINGTON, Army News Service, May 27, 2005 -- The Army announced today the design for the Combat Action Badge. The design was approved by Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, Army chief of staff. The CAB, featuring both a bayonet and grenade, may be awarded to any Soldier performing assigned 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, according to its authorizing language. Award is not limited by one’s branch or military occupational specialty. “Warfare is still a human endeavor,” Schoomaker said. “Our intent is to recognize Soldiers who demonstrate and live the Warrior Ethos.” "The Global War on Terrorism and its associated operations will be the first era of conflict considered for this award," said Lt. Col. Bill Johnson, Human Resources Command chief of military awards. "September 18, 2001, is the effective date for the new award. That is when President Bush signed Senate Joint Resolution 23, authorizing the use of military force against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States." The CAB will go into immediate production and should be available late this summer or early fall through unit supply and military clothing sales stores. For more information, visit U.S. Army Badges, The Institute of Heraldry (TIOH) Homepage, http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/badges/UnitedStatesArmyBadges.htm.>

Learning all the time....

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