Posted on Dec 7, 2015
Today I saw a chaplain with a long tab and a combat action badge. Is there a scenario where this is possible?
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Chaplain
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Yes, a select few Chaplains can and have go/gone through the Q Course and earn the long tab. He also could have been in a vehicle or FOB that came under attack and been awarded a CAB for being fired upon by the enemy.
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CH (MAJ) (Join to see)
P.S. His unit patch (left arm) is a TRADOC instructor patch from the Chaplain Center and School at Fort Jackson.
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I had seen two Chaplains with long tab, one was a LTC, and this was in Fort Benning around 1988, and a MAJ in Korea around 91, both Vietnam Vets, and prior enlisted.
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I have not read all of the comments, but I wonder how many of the commentators would be surprised to see a Chaplain wearing the following - EIB, CMB, SF Tab, and Ranger Tab? Said Chaplain served as an 11B in one of the Ranger Battalions, where he earned both the EIB and attended Ranger School, then went SF where he was a medic, earned the SF Tab and earned the CMB, then got out went to seminary, and came back in as a Chaplain. That combination always messed with some peoples minds. The individual above is no surprise.
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MSG (Join to see)
One of the Chaplains I had in Germany at LRMC, had the EIB and a DS badge. As soon as I saw his BDU's with those on, I had to ask. Said he used to be Infantry back in his younger days. Nicest Chaplain I had ever come across at that time.
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Our Bde chaplain at Fort Richardson,AK has SF patch because he switched over to the chaplain corp.
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Russ Vucci & I joined on the buddy program. He went MP, got to Spec4, got out, joined the Reserves, found God, went to Bible College, then became an Army (USAR) chaplain (Lt. or Capt). He presumably could wear all cabbage he was awarded as an enlisted man.
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It is also called a DEPLOYMENT Badge, it just means he was deployed, not nessecarily into combat. One of my Chaplains was an enlisted infantryman before he became a chaplain. My brother was also an enlisted man before he became a Chaplain. So yes, this sinario is possible, you should have just asked him and not been such a creeper taking stalker type pics of people.
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SPC Paul Missick
oh, since I a using my cell I did not see that you said combat action badge not combat patch, sorry about that, still, that badge is for non combat roles that saw some kind of action in the combat zone. The REO and command policy determines if it is warranted. Sometimes it was just that the camp they were at was mortared. I was an infantryman so even though there was one motar on time near our post in Iraq, the wouldn't give us a CAB. The CIB requires a little more engagement than that.
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Most likely what others have said; prior service SF or a Chaplain attached to SOF before his current posting at what looks like the Signal Corps School. I would bet on prior service SF because I don't believe a Chaplain attached to SOF would have to go through Q Course due to the fact that most don't condone using weapons, even in training (that's what I learned from the MP School Chaplain, not sure if it's a rule or not).
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Could have easily been prior service and then went SF, then commissioned. Its possibly, but a very unconventional career path
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Is it inappropriate to stop someone and ask them about their service if you dont know what the patches mean? Why didn't you just ask him?
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