The Combat Infantryman Badge — awarded to infantrymen who have personally fought in active ground combat. The most respected badge in the United States Army, earned only through direct engagement with the enemy.
The CIB is exclusively reserved for infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers. Your Military Occupational Specialty must be 11-series (Infantry) or 18-series (Special Forces) at the time of the qualifying combat action.
This is the most critical gate — no other MOS qualifies, regardless of combat exposure. Soldiers with non-qualifying MOS who engage in combat are eligible for the Combat Action Badge (CAB) instead, but never the CIB.
You must be assigned to an infantry or SF unit of brigade size or smaller, actively performing infantry duties. Staff officers or those temporarily attached may not qualify without proper documentation.
The core requirement: you must be personally present and under hostile fire while engaged in active ground combat. This is not a proximity award — you must have directly participated in combat action against the enemy.
Indirect fire alone does not always qualify. The action must involve direct engagement with hostile forces in a ground combat situation. Rocket or mortar attacks on a FOB, while dangerous, may not meet the standard unless accompanied by direct engagement.
The combat action must occur in an area designated as a combat zone or during a qualifying conflict. Each war and conflict has specific qualifying dates and geographic boundaries defined by Department of the Army.
The award process begins with a commander's recommendation through the chain of command. The combat action must be verified against operational reports, SIGACTs, and unit records. This is where many deserving soldiers lose their award — paperwork gets lost in the fog of war.
Documentation is everything. Combat action reports, patrol debriefs, and witness statements all support the award. Units rotating out of theater often lose track of pending awards, leaving soldiers without the recognition they earned.
Retroactive awards are possible with sufficient documentation. Veterans who can provide evidence of qualifying combat action — even decades later — may submit requests through HRC for review and approval.
Winter rotations often overlap with unit transitions. Incoming and outgoing units trade battle space, creating gaps in operational continuity. CIB-qualifying actions during this period are at higher risk of incomplete documentation as leadership and admin personnel rotate.
Spring marks the traditional start of fighting season. In Afghanistan, spring thaw opened mountain passes and enemy forces resumed offensive operations. Units deploying in spring often saw their first major contact within weeks of arrival, making spring rotations historically significant for CIB awards.
Summer is historically the most intense combat period. From the beaches of Normandy to the valleys of Kunar Province, summer has produced more CIB-qualifying engagements than any other season. High operational tempo means more patrols, more contact, and more qualifying actions.
Fall is the critical window for award finalization. As fighting seasons wind down and units prepare for redeployment, pending CIB recommendations must be processed before rotation. Awards not submitted before redeployment are exponentially harder to process retroactively.
The CIB has been awarded across every major conflict since its establishment in 1943. Only one CIB may be awarded per qualifying war or conflict. Source: U.S. Army HRC.
| Conflict | Dates | Theater | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| World War II | 7 Dec 1941 – 2 Sep 1945 | ETO / PTO | 1st Award |
| Korean War | 27 Jun 1950 – 27 Jul 1953 | Korea | 2nd Award |
| Vietnam War | 2 Mar 1961 – 28 Mar 1973 | Vietnam / SEA | 2nd/3rd |
| GWOT — OEF/OIF/OND | 18 Sep 2001 – Present | Afghanistan / Iraq | Current |
The CIB is earned in combat, not a classroom. There is no graduation — only the fight. The most respected badge in the Army cannot be trained for. It can only be lived.
Every lost CIB has a story. We built a guide for each one.
Not every engagement meets the standard. Learn exactly what DA considers "active ground combat" and what falls short of CIB criteria.
Non-11/18 series soldiers don't qualify — period. If you're combat arms but not infantry, you need the CAB. Know the difference before you submit.
Awards get lost in combat. Unit rotations, destroyed records, and admin backlogs mean many earned CIBs never get processed. Here's how to fix it.
Second and third CIBs require combat in separate qualifying conflicts. Stars on the wreath mark additional wars. Know the rules for subsequent awards.
The CAB was created in 2005 for non-infantry soldiers in combat. It's a respected award — but it's not the CIB. Understand what separates them.
Since 1943, the CIB has been the infantryman's mark of honor. From WWII beaches to Afghan valleys, the musket and wreath tells the world: "I was there."
Key Takeaway: The CIB is earned in combat but secured through paperwork. Document every engagement, keep copies of all combat action reports, and don't wait for redeployment to submit recommendations. The fight earns the badge — the paperwork keeps it on your record.
I Am the Infantry — Follow Me
I am the Infantry. I am my country's strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight — wherever, whenever. I carry America's faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle.
I march in the footsteps of those who have gone before me — from the hedgerows of Normandy to the jungles of Vietnam, from the mountains of Korea to the deserts of Iraq and the valleys of Afghanistan. The musket on my chest tells the world I did not flinch. I closed with and destroyed the enemy.
The Combat Infantryman Badge is not given. It is not trained for. It is earned in the crucible of ground combat — where the infantryman has always fought, and where the infantryman will always be.
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