Posted on May 30, 2017
SGT Joseph Gunderson
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It seems like something so trivial, but is just deploying and doing your job enough to keep the respect of your combat arms peers? Does the fact that you were hit by an IED on a convoy, close enough to a falling mortar round, or engaged by small arms fire really make one a more qualified combat arms soldier? What are thoughts on those who were never in the wrong place at the wrong time?
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2LT Infantry Officer
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Most do, to be truthful. Most guys with a CIB/CMB look down on (or at least look sideways at) people with a CAB, and everyone looks down on (or sideways at) people without any badge. I don't fully agree with it, and have known some real great Soldiers who don't have any validating heraldry on their uniform.
But fairness aside, especially in maneuver units, it makes some sense to at least have a bit of deference to folks who have done the maneuver thing for real. I don't buy into the looking down on others thing, but I also don't really buy the "we're all the same" thing either.

Everyone gets my Respect. Some things get my attention. Badges, Deeds, Reputation, they are all items of validation, and pretending otherwise is overlooking some realities of humanity I think.
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MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
>1 y
I couldn't agree more! My sentiments 'perzactly, MSG Short!
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SGT Team Chief
SGT (Join to see)
4 y
I was attached to an infantry platoon. Commo need. Got my cab, some jokes were cracked, I then said if you were better at your job I wouldn’t have to do it for you. Just about every e-4 and below got hot while senior leadership laughed. My two cents
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CPT William Jones
CPT William Jones
>1 y
All one has to do to get CIB is have grunt mos,be in grunt slot then get shot at with direct fire weapons. They are the only ones that can set it. The combat engineer, arty FO, commo guy stringing phone wire in same mud,cold don’t get CIB. I think expert infantry badge is higher. You have to work and pas mos test to get it
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SSG Security Manager
SSG (Join to see)
2 mo
The young and dumb have aspirations of greatness based off some badge they have been told makes them bigger men/women, service is service. So few raise their hands to serve this nation, as leaders we need to make that the point above everything else. The painful memories which come with the earning of these combat awards never go away unfortunately, and this is what should be told to these service members.
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GySgt Bill Smith
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We definitely size each other up by what is worn on our chest. My personal story is I was an 0311/0369 Marine for 8 years 3 combat deployments in both Iraq and Afg. Got out, went National Guard as 92G (cook) can't wear a CAB or CIB or combat patch. So in my BDU's it looks like I have never deployed or have been awarded a combat action ribbon. I defiantly notice a difference in soldiers after they find out my history. Back to answer your question do they look down them? I think some do, but not all. I have learned over time if someone is trying to degrade you because you are lacking a piece of flare it is because they are childish and do not understand how the military works. Does the person that gets the CAB, CIB or CAR for a mortar round landing 800m away have any more combat experience than someone that has been at live fire range?
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SSgt Rito Rodriguez
SSgt Rito Rodriguez
6 y
As a retired Marine who spent two tours in Viet-Nam I saw a lot of action from both tours. But as far as I am concern any person who wears the uniform of any branch is tops with me. I feel that you would had gone to combat if you were sent, I was just luck to have gone.
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MSgt Walter Clack
MSgt Walter Clack
6 y
Well said @ sfc g g. Semper Fi
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LTC Andrae Evans
LTC Andrae Evans
6 y
SGT John Manasco took the words right out of my mouth. The issue may be the different rules in how Marines wear and are authorized to wear the Marine combat patch. I am not an expert, so I will let a brother Marine answer.
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SP5 Brandon Roberts
SP5 Brandon Roberts
6 y
Only a Marine would say "defiantly"
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CPT Assistant Operations Officer (S3)
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Edited 7 y ago
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That is how it works. Does it mean it is right? No, but then we gravitate to those that are successful. We view those with badges and tabs as being successful. Comparing those with all of the badges and tabs to those without would mean that those without them are not as successful or experienced. As an Infantry Officer is it expected that you are Ranger qualified. If you don't have a tab then you are viewed lesser than your peers. Now, as a National Guard Officer I was one of few in my home state with a tab. At the time when I was drilling I was the only PL in my BDE with a tab that I knew of. In that case I was viewed in a different light.

I currently work with a group of soldiers that all but a couple have combat time and all of us are Ranger Qualified. I can't say I have seen a group of soldiers on their level. So if you were to see one squad that all of their soldiers were Ranger Qualified and one squad that no one was Ranger qualified I bet money that most people would opt to work with the squad with the Rangers in it.

I don't think we look down on those that don't have the awards but we look up to those that do have them. If a person feels they are on par with them that is their response. Tabs and badges may not correlate to being a better soldier, but it is a good maker.

Being honest, the pic I posted is my uniform. I am about to go back into the operational Army and out of the TRADOC world. If you could pick your PL and you saw a PL with my qualifications and skill levels surround by 5 brand new LTs without them, once again, you would naturally gravitate to the person with them.

I don't envy anyone with more badges or view them differently. If you are a jumpmaster and pathfinder then they can run a DZ. In that case they are more qualified than I and can accomplish task I can not. So why would be upset if they were view more of an asset than I. They are. I chose to go into the Airborne Infantry world. Schools are easier to come by. Some MOSs don't have that option. But then they should only look as far as their peers and not the rest of the Army. There is always someone better than you but then there might be a lot of others that don't have your drive an passion that are not as productive.

I hope this explains it well enough.
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SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM
SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM
>1 y
It doesn't matter to me just don't fake if you wear then show it and you don't have to prove to anyone around you combat or not you are the man. MY thing is you do combat bust your ass just like everyone else in unit and just because the CSM has grudge on you and your buddy is same rank as you and didn't do nothing in combat but is asshole friends with CSM he got the BSM and you didn't that system I have trouble with because now it seams the ARMY or military is who you know but I got my stories for combat I hope the guy or gal who got their BSM have theirs because you know when you ask some about their combat how someone reacts in a way. Not jumping the gun to get a story out.
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SGT Cadre
SGT (Join to see)
>1 y
Well said LT. As a young infantryman I always looked up more to my leaders with a tab and a CIB. As an infantryman that’s your instant credibility. I’ve got a CIB and with deployments dying down it’s becoming a relatively rare award among us jr NCOs
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CPT William Jones
CPT William Jones
>1 y
Tabs are earned some a little easier some harder sapper and ranger are probably toughest. But we do wear our resume when we get all dressed up for a formal ball and impress the ladies
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CPT William Jones
CPT William Jones
>1 y
Tab worn on top of all others is the Engineers Sapper tabMSG David Rogers III
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