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I wasn't sure how to label this "question". I don't know how many of you would think about it. Or if you all would think that I was kind of "over stepping boundaries" or not.
Here is my question. IF I was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, why am I not eligible for 2 Combat Action Badges, or a star (symbolizing 2 warfronts) on my Combat Action Badge? I earned "multiple" CAB's. Not that it was an "award" that I necessarily wanted! I would have much rather not had to get it and lived peacefully through my deployments!
Now here are my thoughts. I know that they say OIF/OEF are the same war. In which I am very unclear about beings that we've been out of Iraq (or WERE out of Iraq) for a couple years. We've never left Afghanistan. They have two completely different names, and are on 2 completely different fronts, with two completely different enemies and tactics. We get 2 different campaign badges for them, but they tell us that it is the same war?
Now I'm not a glory monger and I don't really give 2 shits about it regardless. I've just been trying to make sense of it for years now. Can anyone here intelligently explain this to me? Or at least simplify it? Also....What are your thoughts on this?
Here is my question. IF I was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, why am I not eligible for 2 Combat Action Badges, or a star (symbolizing 2 warfronts) on my Combat Action Badge? I earned "multiple" CAB's. Not that it was an "award" that I necessarily wanted! I would have much rather not had to get it and lived peacefully through my deployments!
Now here are my thoughts. I know that they say OIF/OEF are the same war. In which I am very unclear about beings that we've been out of Iraq (or WERE out of Iraq) for a couple years. We've never left Afghanistan. They have two completely different names, and are on 2 completely different fronts, with two completely different enemies and tactics. We get 2 different campaign badges for them, but they tell us that it is the same war?
Now I'm not a glory monger and I don't really give 2 shits about it regardless. I've just been trying to make sense of it for years now. Can anyone here intelligently explain this to me? Or at least simplify it? Also....What are your thoughts on this?
Posted in these groups: 
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan
Combat
Badges
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan Combat Badges
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 14
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Say you jumped into Normandy during Operation Overlord then jumped into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden. If you engaged the enemy during both operations you would still only earn one CIB as both operations were part of World War II.
For the same reason, you can earn separate campaign medals but cannot earn separate infantry or action badges for the current conflict.
For the same reason, you can earn separate campaign medals but cannot earn separate infantry or action badges for the current conflict.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Exactly... Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal vs. European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign medal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_Medal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_Medal
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OIF and OEF are two different parts of the Global War on Terror. Same war different operational environments.
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PO3 John Moeling
Actually 3. I think the third is New Dawn. All three lumped together by the government
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1SG (Join to see)
New dawn was a phase of OIF. There are 7 phases identified for OIF.
Phase 1: Liberation of Iraq – 19 March – 1 May 2003
Phase 2: Transition of Iraq – 2 May 2003 to 28 June 2004
Phase 3: Iraqi Governance – 29 June 2004 to 15 December 2005
Phase 4: National Resolution – 16 December 2005 to 9 January 2007
Phase 5: Iraqi Surge – 10 January 2007 to 31 December 2008
Phase 6: Iraqi Sovereignty – 1 January 2009 to 31 August 2010
Phase 7: New Dawn – 1 September 2010 to 31 December 2011
Phase 1: Liberation of Iraq – 19 March – 1 May 2003
Phase 2: Transition of Iraq – 2 May 2003 to 28 June 2004
Phase 3: Iraqi Governance – 29 June 2004 to 15 December 2005
Phase 4: National Resolution – 16 December 2005 to 9 January 2007
Phase 5: Iraqi Surge – 10 January 2007 to 31 December 2008
Phase 6: Iraqi Sovereignty – 1 January 2009 to 31 August 2010
Phase 7: New Dawn – 1 September 2010 to 31 December 2011
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The CIB, CMB and CAB are awarded by time period, not how many theaters you've served in. The current award period opened up after 9-11 and will close at a future date to be determined. You are awarded campaign ribbons and campaign stars to signify your participation on different "fronts"
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