Do combat arms soldiers look down on fellow combat arms brethren if they have deployed and not been awarded a combat badge/medal/ribbon?

I was 11H from 88 to 91 no combat tours. I used to feel bad about it but now I know 2 things. I didn’t cut the orders and God spared me. I have no shame, I did my job as ordered and stood ready 24/7

Gee, I don’t have any of those awards, but I do have 2 earned Air Medals. Should I look down on anyone that doesn’t have that one? The answer is no. Everything depends on whether or not you were sent to a place putting you into combat. Many people served when no major events were happening. Mine AMs were earned in Vietnam.

Before I deployed, I remember talking to people about things not even Army related, and would see their eyes drift to my right sleeve. One they noticed no combat patch, their eyes would kinda glaze over, and they would tend to discount my knowledge about things. Didn't matter if what I was talking about was completely irrelevant to the military.

After the deployment, once they noted your patch, they'd listen. I started playing the mind games with people. Leave the patch in my pocket, pointedly notice when they look at my sleeve, then remark "Oops, forgot to put that on. " Pull out the patch, slap it on my arm, and then ignore their sheepish reactions.

If it takes a patch on a sleeve to validate anything someone says, you're an ass. It's one thing for someone without a combat patch, or maybe more accurately non deployed, to talk about deployments (obviously, this type of person is ignored,) but ignoring someone's expertise for lack of a patch is pretty unprofessional.

As a SSG I always enjoyed not wearing anything on my uniform, Ranger Tab, Jump Master and Air Assault wings, combat patch. Watching people try and talk down to you is hilarious and seeing their face come Greens inspection was priceless. You get the respect you earn, you don’t need a tab or wings or medals to be a great soldier. Just my .02

An award does not make a Combat Vet. The fact that an individual was there in the “zone” ready and willing to follow orders and performing their duties in support of the war is sufficient...I did not earn any of these badges...but I was in numerous situations, alone or with others - where I could be shot at, wounded or worse...I never had to fire my weapon...but when I was in those situations...I was at the ready and willing to fire...these badges should be worn with pride by those it has been awarded to...but it should never be used to judge Combat Vets it was not awarded to...There’s a million stories in the Combat Zone... Some are shared - most are not...

Quick answer: yes. There is a hierarchy in the military. combat vet get an extra ten points, and a CAB gets an extra 15 points. CIB gets 20 points, and then it matters by MOS. SF get an extra 25 points, while simple grunts only get 20. Can scout’s get 10, while band gets 11.

Transportation specialist. Recieved light arms fire on occasion. No hero.

I've got a CAB. Big deal. No EIB. I was a 19K, so that's not really an option. I know soldiers with an EIB because someone drove by a checkpoint and fired an AK. I had 13 direct contacts (within 25 meters) with IEDs and direct fire contact on at least 2 occasions. It's not the bling, it's the real story behind it. One caveat is the 'V' device. This always gets special respect.

As a two tour Vietnam vet I was in combat had mortar/rocket attacks etc. etc. etc. But the US Navy didn’t see fit to provide us Seabees with anything like a combat badge.

I served during Desert Storm, my unit was not allowed to deploy, as our mission was a critical piece of the defense of Germany at the time. I was a silver bullet artillery crew member. We volunteered, as a unit, and it didn’t happen. It happens. Looking back I don’t mind we didn’t deploy, but if we did we all would of done our job well. It’s what we signed up for.