How can I retroactively get my Combat Action Badge? Where can I find some assistance on this process?

SGM Jeff Mccloud - I was asked to provide input for awards for my people. I had 3 people I recommended and did the write up for. I was never asked again. At the end of the tour, almost everyone either got a BSM or ARCOM, most was BSM. The 3 I had done write ups for were completely changed, one was an AAM two were ARCOM, all three were up graded to BSM.
Anytime I had others ask me about awards, I would refer them to the Regs, that is the reason they were written. The most meaningful award I ever received was an AAM, when my 12B SQD won our company SQD competition, it was an honest, earned award.

SGM Jeff Mccloud - I was the only Reservists assigned to my team of 4 personnel at Basrah. I also did the most PM missions. I guess my Team Leader didn't quite care for me all that much

MSG (Join to see) - Or your TL didn't know the job, or want to do the job.

SGM Jeff Mccloud - possible.

Thank you SGM. Is there any other advice on how to go about it?

SGT James Hart (Retired) - Start with the easy stuff; gather copies of the DD-214, ERB, awards, orders and certificates that all show your time from your OIF tour.
Then sit down and take some time to write your personal narrative, describing your actions on the day or days that would have met the requirements for a CAB.
Then write the request memo, explaining why your command did not submit for the CAB at the time, or how that submission might have gotten stalled and lost in the process.

Then the hard part: you need two buddies who were there, who witnessed your actions that qualified for a CAB, they need to write sworn statements that corroborate your own narrative.
You'll probably need to reach out to a few people to come up with the two that can and will provide sworn statements. If one of those statements is from someone in your chain of command (PL, CO) that would really help.

I have never written one myself, but I have helped a few guys with current contact info for other guys to help with sworn statements from 10-15 years prior, this is definitely the biggest challenge in the process.

If you have an award from OIF that specifically describes you in a situation that warrants a CAB, like proximity to enemy direct or indirect fires and whether you could have reasonably been injured by the blast, detonation or explosion. then you can get by with one sworn statement.

Start with your old unit, and with anyone who remained in that unit. If none stayed in, you might get the unit AGRs to help with current contact info.

Thank you.