OEF/OIF Two names, one war?

SSG Jeremy Siebenaller — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 20:46:00 -0400

I wasn't sure how to label this "question". I don't know how many of you would think about it. Or if you all would think that I was kind of "over stepping boundaries" or not.
Here is my question. IF I was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, why am I not eligible for 2 Combat Action Badges, or a star (symbolizing 2 warfronts) on my Combat Action Badge? I earned "multiple" CAB's. Not that it was an "award" that I necessarily wanted! I would have much rather not had to get it and lived peacefully through my deployments!
Now here are my thoughts. I know that they say OIF/OEF are the same war. In which I am very unclear about beings that we've been out of Iraq (or WERE out of Iraq) for a couple years. We've never left Afghanistan. They have two completely different names, and are on 2 completely different fronts, with two completely different enemies and tactics. We get 2 different campaign badges for them, but they tell us that it is the same war?
Now I'm not a glory monger and I don't really give 2 shits about it regardless. I've just been trying to make sense of it for years now. Can anyone here intelligently explain this to me? Or at least simplify it? Also....What are your thoughts on this?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2014 9:15 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 21:15:25 -0400

OIF and OEF are two different parts of the Global War on Terror. Same war different operational environments.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 16 at 2014 9:53 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 21:53:55 -0400

The CIB, CMB and CAB are awarded by time period, not how many theaters you've served in. The current award period opened up after 9-11 and will close at a future date to be determined. You are awarded campaign ribbons and campaign stars to signify your participation on different "fronts"

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2014 10:08 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 22:08:37 -0400

Say you jumped into Normandy during Operation Overlord then jumped into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden. If you engaged the enemy during both operations you would still only earn one CIB as both operations were part of World War II.

For the same reason, you can earn separate campaign medals but cannot earn separate infantry or action badges for the current conflict.

Response by Sgt Adam Jennings made Dec 15 at 2014 8:23 AM

Sgt Adam Jennings — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 08:23:16 -0500

Remember WWII? Same thing. The CAB, CIB, and the CAR (for us Marines) are for the time period, or war. GWOT is the war, OEF and OIF are only campaigns in that war just like the European/African theater verses the Pacific Theater. My grandfather earned his CIB in the Philippines in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign, had he been oddly redirected to Germany for some weird reason and engaged in combat he would not receive another CIB, just another Campaign Medal for that theater. He did however receive a ribbon/medal star for New Guinea and then another star for the Philippines.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2015 10:40 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 10:40:47 -0500

Not sure if this is flawed or not....but I kind of compare your question to World War Two.

European Theater of Operations (Germany, Italy, minor others), Pacific Theater of Operations (Japan). Same war, different names/fronts/enemies/tactics.

I think a campaign is a set time period, geographic region, set of objectives or some combination of previously said. Think old school wars were they fought during their "Spring Campaigns"....or Civil War, campaigns were defined by region/time frames (Shenandoah River Valley campaign, etc).

Hope this is somewhat accurate / helps a little

Response by PFC Nathaniel Thedford made Mar 12 at 2015 4:45 PM

PFC Nathaniel Thedford — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 16:45:37 -0400

It's actually three different campaigns that the Iraq war has gone through as of 2010, and that is OIF/OEF and OND. Operation New Dawn signifies our military presence in Iraq after 2010. Even though it appears to be three different wars - Operations are only operations - a set of directives that applies to the current period of the war. Three different campaigns, still the Iraq War.

Response by Matthew Torrelli made Mar 14 at 2015 4:08 PM

Matthew Torrelli — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 16:08:39 -0400

Yes Brother, it sounds like we should have received a Combat Action Badge for different areas of operations like Iraq & Afghanistan. Yet, It is only one mission with Two countries and it is and will be one giant Charlie Foxtrot.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Apr 23 at 2015 6:53 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 18:53:14 -0400

Marines get credit for combat in each theater. If you have a guy/girl who saw combat in both places they will have the respective campaign medals and will also have a gold star on their combat action ribbon.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2015 9:00 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 May 2015 09:00:43 -0400

The CAB you earned was not for OIF or OEF which are both major campaigns under the overarching war, in this case the Global War on Terror. Like it or hate it, that is the way they wrote the regulations so that is the way it is. I have heard rumors of Soldiers running around with a star on their CAB. I'm not sure who approved it but it is not authorized under AR 600-8-22 if they were all for GWOT. It would be possible to earn more than one CAB under the new rule that allows retroactive CABs back to 1941 if that is approved.

I have also earned the CAB multiple times, not that I wanted any either, but that does not change the regs.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2015 12:26 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 12:26:20 -0400

World War 2 had a lot Medals associated with service in the second world war.

The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, The American Campaign Medal and the World War 2 Victory Medal those are just a few.

There were even more than that...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_service_medals_of_the_World_Wars

United States service medals of the World Wars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

United States service medals of the World Wars are U.S. military medals which were created solely for recognizing service in the First World War and World War II. Such medals are no longer awarded, but are still referred to in various publications, manuals, and award precedence charts as many veterans still display them as part of veteran functions and ceremonies.

Response by CPL Sarah Verity made Sep 22 at 2015 12:50 PM

CPL Sarah Verity — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 12:50:08 -0400

I can explain this if you like. An example is how World War II was the official name of the war but there were campaigns in the Philippines, Germany, Japan, etc. All of the campaigns were a part of World War II. We are now having the Global War on Terrorism with campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Therefore a troop deployed to both campaigns is considered to have fought on the warfront during the Global War on Terrorism the same a troop fought on the warfront during World War II. Both troops may have contributed to multiple campaigns but there was only one war. I hope this helps.

Response by PFC Nathaniel Thedford made Sep 24 at 2015 12:53 PM

PFC Nathaniel Thedford — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 12:53:11 -0400

In the beginning it started out as Operation Iraqi Freedom since we went there to liberate the Iraqi people from Saddam. After we captured Saddam we decided that we needed to rebuild Iraq and therefore our operations went from liberating Iraq (OIF) to rebuilding Iraq (OEF). That is my take on it.

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made Nov 19 at 2015 11:22 AM

Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 11:22:22 -0500

They are two operations of the same war. Anyone who uses the terms the Iraqi War and Afghan war separately from each other is doing so incorrectly. We were all awarded the GWOT medals for our contributions to either one of these operations. Your time in both theaters warrant the individual campaign medals. I am not Army, but as I have always understood the CAB, it is only awarded for the period it is authorized for. In the case of the GWOT, only one CAB can be awarded per individual who meets the criteria. You might note there are several people who incorrectly wear multiple CABs, claiming multiple deployments to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. They are wrong. There are other who qualify for stolen valor who are easy to spot when they claim multiple CABs and are two young to have possibly served in multiple wars. Be proud of the one you have and the fact it is not easily earned. That makes it something more special.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2016 7:48 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 19:48:37 -0500

I had the same thing happen with redeployment but in a different manner. The DA Civilian doing my DD-214 tried to give me a 2 numeral on my AFRM because I did 2 back to back deployments. I argued that you only get one per "War". I was not even on orders for different Operations (both were OEF). He finally caved. Don't want I haven't earned.