Posted on Jan 17, 2018
If a MOS infantry Marine transfers to the Army, & is in an infantry battalion is he allowed to wear the blue cord (PAM 670 21-31 is vague)?
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Posted in these groups: 
Infantryman
0311: Rifleman
Infantryman 0311: Rifleman
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
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Soldiers with an 11-series primary MOS may wear the blue cord. If that infantry Marine goes infantry Army, then he gets all the same perks of any other infantryman. The more typical question is whether a Marine infantryman who saw combat can wear the CIB upon converting to the Army. The answer is no, since the Marines do not give out that badge. He may, however, have a Marine combat action ribbon that he gets to wear and explain at every uniform inspection.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
I knew a Marine Infantryman who went Army Infantry. Some paper pusher changed his combat action ribbon to a CAB. He got it changed back so he could eventually wear both the ribbon and a CIB.
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Sgt William Biggs
We had a Marine that received an ARCOM. He had to explain that to everyone and our admin refused to run it several times.
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Cpl Jim Canning
Shortly after joining the Guard, we had a CG inspection. This was in 1990, I had served in Lebanon, and had a few other awards so I had two rows of ribbons at the time. I looked out of place compared to the rest of the company, lol. Except for the older guys. When the CG and Sgt Major stopped in front of me, they took one look, and thats all it took. Both were former Marines. The guy standing next to me said he was going to stand next to me every time. They continued talking to me and totally skipped him. Never had to explain any of my Marine awards.
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If he's a qualified 11-series MOS assigned to an 11-series slot, then he wears the rope.
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Capt Gregory Prickett
CPT (Join to see) - unless the reg has changed, once they are assigned outside of an infantry unit, a recruiting unit, or a training unit, the cord has to come off of the uniform.
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CPT (Join to see)
AR 670-1, Para 21-31.a.5.a gives approval authority to battalion or higher-level commanders for those operating outside of infantry units. I imagine this is where my examples fall, but definitely still within reg.
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Capt Gregory Prickett
CPT (Join to see) - that paragraph still requires assignment to an infantry squad or section, and it is typically used to allow the wear by soldiers assigned to cavalry units. For example, 2-7 CAV is actually a combined arms battalion, flagged cavalry, but consisting of infantry and armor platoons and companies. The CO can authorize (and does) the infantrymen to wear the cord, even while they wear the crossed sabers of cavalry.
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CPT (Join to see)
It’s definitely used today for other purposes, but clearly that wasn’t the case in the past.
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