Posted on Oct 17, 2015
Master Infantry Badge, is there a place for it in today's Army?
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My unit will be conducting a EIB in March and I recently seen an article about a possible MIB (master infantry badge) I like the idea, because both cib and EIB are in the same class, also for efmb and cmb for the medical field. What are your thoughts?
11B: Infantryman
SGT
SSG
SFC
Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB)
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 86
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By "article", do you mean a post on RP? I asked the great Google wizard and there were no other articles about a Master Infantry Badge.
I think it sounds ridiculous. In a decade most of the people in the Army won't have seen combat and it will be a moot point.
Plus, the CIB/CAB/CMB have been over awarded as it is. I've seen entire platoons get awarded blanket combat awards for literally doing nothing more than being in a convoy that got hit with an IED, or taking cover during a mortar attack, or - my favorite - being in the vicinity of a stray shot fired from across the river.
I think adding another layer of fluff would actually devalue the CIB.
I think it sounds ridiculous. In a decade most of the people in the Army won't have seen combat and it will be a moot point.
Plus, the CIB/CAB/CMB have been over awarded as it is. I've seen entire platoons get awarded blanket combat awards for literally doing nothing more than being in a convoy that got hit with an IED, or taking cover during a mortar attack, or - my favorite - being in the vicinity of a stray shot fired from across the river.
I think adding another layer of fluff would actually devalue the CIB.
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SFC Lyle Green
SGT William Jackson - I don't know about you, but all this "alphabet stew" of cib, bic, dia, cibs, on and on it goes, I feel like I'm in a Chinese Arithmetic class. Like you, in VN 67-70, I was with the 1st. Infantry Division, assigned to support the 3rd. Battalion's high attrition combat units, POWs, intelligence gathering via civilian insurgency suspects, etc. Corradiated in conjunction with infantry units with separate direct combat related functions working in unison with various Inf. companies in the battalion. Sounds confusing, it was, the bs of interrogations, reports, written summaries of estimates, reports of opinions of documents or items discovered on dead enemy. Others and I had no interest or knowledge about medals, rewards or such at that time. When awarded, Learned the Combat Infantry Badge was awarded, given, or whatever, if qualification was met, must serve 30 consecutive days in direct or supportive actions that exposed you to enemy combat actions that personally exposed you to possible death or injury. Division Regulations, also the !st Division's policy at that time was regardless of one's designated MOS, their secondary MOS was 11B at Division's discretion. What the heck determines a Master's badge, or a CAB, etc., next there will be a CVB (Combat Vicenty Badge) or maybe a IWCB (I want a Combat Badge). Bottom line, I'm lost.
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SFC Lyle Green
SPC (Join to see) - Most BS of idiotic PH "gifts" I ever saw was in VN in the company's chow line, it started raining 122 or 106 rockets, naturally we all dropped everything and raced to the nearest bunker. A 1st. LT, newbie was too dumb, scared or ??? as he darted into the bunker, forgot or just didn't have the sense to duck his head at the bunker entrance and banged his head on the door beam. Caused a fairly deep gash, he went to the aid station, hosp, and was later offered and accepted a PH. Sometime Later, when I am riding in a jeep, drunk as a skunk struggling to find a rack, by the helo pad, 4 lor 5 incoming rounds hit pretty close, detonated. I rolled out of the jeep, still moving, falling into a big drainage ditch, landing in several strands of constantina or razor wire. The many cuts and abrasions I got required trip to the aid station, the attending DR. said he would put me in for a PH, immediately I remembered that 1st. Lt bumping his head entering the bunker, and I adamantly declined the sham award.
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They already have one. It's called "survive to retirement with back and knees intact".
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SFC Lyle Green
Amen to that! Don't have to wait till 60 for those things catch up and begin to fall apart. Have to mention, for me the worst metal I received was a chunk of a 122 in the butt. Praying it was that $1 million ticket out of there. Not to be, was back on the duty rooster in 15 days.
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Not to be negative, but does this go back to the "everybody gets a medal" thing? What would be the honest point in this? A master infantryman...so if he has Ranger school, has NCOER's to show his competence in the MOS, along with CIB/EIB what's the point? And if the other MOS' went out for this award are they going to be allowed to wear it unlike the rules with the EIB now? I think we have MANY "Master Grunts" now who are extremely proficient in their MOS and don't need another piece of "bling" to prove it.
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SFC Rick H
Very interesting and really quite humorous commentary SSG Hunt/SSG Swan- I see you folks are on point as a good NCOs should be on matters such as these- if you had such and award- Master Sick - Call, I'm quite certain you would have more soldiers in formation/at work than the first option!?
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SSG Warren Swan
SFC Rick H - Personally, I'd be working on the second one, and should one of mine tell me he had a case of it, I'd counsel him/her on the importance of conducting your business well in advance of formation, or suffering through it with the problem until released for personal hygiene and work call.
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Instead of trying to develop new badges to wear why not bring back the SQT? Who remembers taking these every year a high SQT in your record was all anyone needed to talk to prove they were the best
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SFC Rick H
Regards to the old " SQT " idea. We E7s and above actually have to make E7 three times in our career- considering you have to make the list first- you have to wait until your number is up- pin on and for many of us, wait for an ANCOC date- in my day. You are still considered a conditional E7 until you successfully graduate ANCOC- if you don't make it through, remove E7, re-pin SSG rank and try again next time. We were correct back when the SQT was abandoned- our NCOs have proven enough- at least back in my day!
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SSG Ronald White
I hated those damned tests.... there was no way to make it equal across the board... some people had time to study and others did not and the questions, who ever wrote the test didnt have the first clue about what they were testing you on....
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Wow... is that where we are going? So people can have more bling? I think this is ridiculous, and what about tradition instead of... nevermind, todays army is all about medals and pats on the back. I wish it was more about the pride and the sacrifice for the country.
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Well, I'm not an infantryman, but I feel it's not a great idea. This is just my own personal opinion because I haven't read the Master Infantry Badge article. I need more info as to why have the badge and the requirements to meet for it. I like the fact that when infantrymen go Ranger, SF and SF-D they're setting themselves apart from basic infantrymen; besides once you guys making MSG/1SG and SGM/CSM you are in my opinion masters of your MOS....
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Let's see, if you're an expert, are you better than a master or if you're a master are you better than an expert. Let's debate that for awhile. However, if you have a CIB, we all know what you are!! Leave it alone, let the expert be the expert. The consequences of earning a CIB can be dangerous enough. Don't try to downgrade it by saying, " the EIB and CIB are in the same class." Shame on you! Remember this, "You have never lived until you have almost died, for those that have fought for it, life has a special flavor the protected will never know." De Oppresso Liber.
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If they take the EIB to the next level, then perhaps they should expand the concept for everybody. Why not have an expert/efficiency badge for each branch involving basic combat skills and branch specific tasks? I think It would be a morale booster and a way to maintain high standards for all especially in the combat skills area. The EIB commo, NBC and medical tasks along with the APFT and marksmanship on the standard M16/M4 could serve as the test core common to all branches. Then each branch could select their specific tasks unique to them to round out the test.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Wow Robert, it has been awhile. Nice to see you again/ Electronically. lol MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
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I have not seen the article, however I like the theory that the EIB shows we know our tasks, and the CIB shows we've done our tasks. A Master Infantryman Badge, well, I hope you can post the article, for I am interested in reading it.
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