[91B]

No, the award was not created until 2005, although it was made retroactive until 2001. Before the creation of the CAB the Army had proposed the Close Combat Badge for Engineers, Tankers, Artillerymen and other combat MOS's.

The point I was responding to was that Patraeus might have earned the award as a junior officer, which is not possible.

While it is possible for him to have earned the award in Iraq, it does give me pause as I personally know other-more junior-soldiers whose award was denied on a technecality.