Are 11C Soldiers assigned to Armor and Cavalry units authorized the CIB if otherwise qualified?

SFC J Fullerton — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 16:28:25 -0400

Given that the regulation specifically states "assigned to an Infantry unit", do 11C's that are assigned to the Mortar Platoon or Section of an Armor Bn or Cavalry Troop not meet this requirement, or does their mortar unit (platoon or section) constitute as an Infantry unit? Does not effect me, but am curious to know how this is ruled on.

(1) The Soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties.

(2) Must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat.

Response by SGT Jesus Vasquez made Jun 22 at 2016 4:29 PM

SGT Jesus Vasquez — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 16:29:58 -0400

They are. The unit itself doesn't matter. It's the MOS I was 11c and in a cav unit and wore badges

Response by SGT George Romiti made Jun 22 at 2016 4:36 PM

SGT George Romiti — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 16:36:11 -0400

Chucks are infantry..
Got mine 80 days of sustained in Sadr City. 04-05

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 22 at 2016 4:38 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 16:38:18 -0400

read the regs, this has become something of are you fricking kidding me, first the butt head who thinks that his assingment into a unit who has authorized cib's to this, you joined when you joined and get what you get, read the regs and stop

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2016 3:38 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 03:38:58 -0400

Yep, any 11 series or 18 assigned series to a position on the MTOE as an 11 series or 18 series qualifies for a CIB provided they meet the criteria for it. 11 series and 18 series soldiers who are not slotted by MTOE in an 11 series or 18 series position in a time of war will be issued a CAB. It is extremely rare but it does happen.

Response by CPL Mike Miller made Jun 28 at 2016 11:28 AM

CPL Mike Miller — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 11:28:39 -0400

I recieved mine while i was in a armor batt. 1982 in Germany as a 11c

Response by CPL Donnie McKnight made Jun 28 at 2016 11:34 AM

CPL Donnie McKnight — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 11:34:51 -0400

Got mine in 03 in Sadr City assigned to F Trp 2-2 ACR

Response by SPC Rick HUnt made Jul 13 at 2016 2:22 AM

SPC Rick HUnt — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 02:22:23 -0400

Yes I was Cav my whole career, yeah yeah teack mounted eat me i recieved my CIB an was authorized in 05

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2016 1:41 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 01:41:59 -0400

Yes. The same as non-combat arms (support) in infantry BN would be authorized the CAB if in direct combat.

Response by CPL Troy Hanshew made Aug 4 at 2016 10:10 PM

CPL Troy Hanshew — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 22:10:26 -0400

I was 11C with the 1st CAV. I received my CIB. As did all the other 11 series with The CAV.
It is the MOS not the unit.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 4 at 2016 10:10 PM

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 22:10:46 -0400

I was in the CAV up in Alaska after I got back from AFG with a CIB, now as a mortar platoon we did wear our CIB but there was a point they tried to get us to stop wearing them because it "intimidated new soldiers who have not deployed"

Response by SSG Rick Long made Oct 3 at 2016 10:00 PM

SSG Rick Long — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 22:00:39 -0400

Yes. I was awarded CIB IN 2005 in mosul Iraq while assigned to a Stryker RISTA CAV unit.

Response by SPC Don Wynn made Oct 26 at 2016 6:26 PM

SPC Don Wynn — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 18:26:02 -0400

Yes, any MOS if engaged in combat with bogies would be awarded CIB, regardless of type of unit assigned to. A cook could get CIB if he picked up a firearm and engaged a bogie.

Response by SPC Mike Lake made Feb 7 at 2018 9:56 PM

SPC Mike Lake — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 21:56:56 -0500

Yes 11series is infantry weather a Charlie or Mike Bravo and are approved to wear a CIB

Response by CPL Chris Palmberg made Feb 8 at 2018 7:30 PM

CPL Chris Palmberg — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 19:30:37 -0500

So at some point during the Cold War, the US Army began working to push the combined arms concept down the chain as far as possible. It started with Infantry and Armor Divisions of an odd number of brigades where the majority of the subordinates were the same as the parent. So 2 infantry and 1 armor brigade comprised an armor division, while 1:2 meant a mechanized infantry division. This was pushed down over time to the company level, where a mech was 3 platoons of infantry with one tank platoon, etc. Traditionally, the CIB/CMB required service in a named infantry unit. When combined arms units went mainstream, some of the sub company formations lost their designations, even though their MTOE called for 11-series troops. Company & Battalion mortar sections today are the most common example of these invisible infantry.

Response by SSG Lee Kujawa made Mar 11 at 2018 9:19 PM

SSG Lee Kujawa — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 21:19:29 -0400

Yes to 11C’s, 11D’s Armored Cavalry Scout, and of course, 11B’s

Response by SSG Harry Outcalt made Aug 13 at 2018 6:02 PM

SSG Harry Outcalt — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 18:02:14 -0400

Chuck on !!!

Response by CPT William Jones made Jul 1 at 2019 4:34 PM

CPT William Jones — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 16:34:18 -0400

To be legally awarded CIB there’re are a few requirements. 1 in an assigned infantry slot. 2 have an infantry MOS 3 engage with the enemy with and by direct fire. Morters and other indirect fires do not count. IE my sons small convoy with bed CSm aboard was attacked with with ied and small arms fire. All positions were infantry slots. All with inf mos received CIB. Medic and two gunners did not have 11 mos and did not receive CIB. So in real infantry units it’s awarding is guarded. Learned after too late if the had orders cut adding the 11 to there file they would have qualified.

Response by CPL Jake Berger made Sep 26 at 2019 3:28 AM

CPL Jake Berger — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 03:28:23 -0400

During my deployment my crew sent rounds down range. The brigade csm said that we didn't qualify for them. So we never received orders.

Response by SPC Lyle Montgomery made Jun 23 at 2021 3:55 PM

SPC Lyle Montgomery — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 15:55:41 -0400

I was a machine gunner in a leg infantry unit in Viet Nam and often we travled with an 11 charley mortar unit. Other than carring a baseplate tube and a t and e unit, they were the same as us 11 bravo grubts. They carried rifles and got shot at and returned fire just like us. They most certainly deserve the CIB just like 11 b grunts