Today I saw a chaplain with a long tab and a combat action badge. Is there a scenario where this is possible?

I've seen a Navy Chaplain who was a prior enlisted Marine have all sorts of chest candy, a CAR not the least of his decorations.
I think, and I'm not saying this is implied in this thread just something I've been pondering, that the culture of stolen valor might be taken a little bit far in some cases. A buddy of mine is an 0-3 and has enlisted guys straight out (or nearly so) of boot camp come up to him in public and start asking him about all his ribbons and decorations while he was in his whites. They thought they might get the next cool post to youtube. Caution- disrespecting an officer, assumed or not, in public (or anywhere else for that matter) isn't a road that should be trod lightly.
There are cases where there is undoubtedly stolen valor. These are generally easily spotted and dismissed.

We occasionally saw Navy Chaplains with Rifle & Pistol Expert Medals & Combat Action Ribbons in the Corps. They normally had a USMC/USN Good Conduct to go with it.

If I'm looking at him and the picture correctly, he appears to be a Captain, and "well seasoned" so I would guess he's got some enlisted time.

I am an Air Force chaplain who was awarded the CAB while serving with the Army in Afghanistan. With the revision of the AF uniform instructions Airmen are allowed to wear these and similar badges. You should see some the looks and hear some of the questions I get. As you might imagine I don't care what they think.

Past lives. I thought for a little bit about going navy medical after the Corps. I'd have had some unlikely looking ribbons on my Navy blues if I had.

SSG Robert Burns, I've seen (knew only briefly) two Army chaplains that had been awarded the CIB. They were infantry, came home, went to divinity school, were ordained and returned to the field as Army chaplains.
I have a friend here on RP who is an airborne, air assault, Ranger captain. He's served at least two deployments, the last one as an infantry company commander, and has also been awarded the CIB. He returned home, has graduated from divinity school and intends to transfer to the Chaplain Corps.
Happens more often than you might think.

It's definitely possible for a chaplain to receive a CAB because mine got one when we were in Afghanistan.

I once knew a Chaplain with an EIB

I knew a Navy Chaplain with a Combat Action Ribbon. It was legit. I will say on liberty, he NEVER bought a round.

I had a chaplain with a CIB when I was Bn S-3. He had been an Infantry platoon leader in Vietnam. We had an O-6 chaplain while I was at Third Army with a CIB, SF tab and Master Jump Wings. Somewhere along the way, these guys found a different calling. They were great Chaplains.

One of the best Chaplains I ever had the honor to serve with has a scroll, halo wings, EIB, Master Rated Jump Master, and Best Ranger Competition winner Chaplain Jeff Struecker. An amazing soldier and chaplain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy7yoNr9d6E http://jeffstruecker.com/about-jeff-struecker/

Prior service chaplain that was SF in his enlisted or initial commissioned service. All a Chaplain has to do to qualify for a CAB is be engaged by the Enemy (since he can't engage them) and a CAB can be processed. My Chaplain was at FOB Wilderness, Paktika , Afghanistan in 2009 and got caught in a nasty rocket Attack. Along with the Cavalrymen he was with, he was awarded the CAB.

We have been fighting so long, it is entirely possible he could have earned a CAB in one MOS, went to SFAS and Q Course, and just now became a Chaplain.

It's the patch for the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School. It's where Chaps and their assistants go for BOLC/AIT and some parts of NCOES/OES and functional courses. I know several Chaplains that were tabbed, and even a few Assistants that had ranger tabs as well, though none that were long tabbed like the Chaplains.

Long story short, this is a Chap who is probably an SGL for OES or on the staff at the school house. Totally normal if you are down at Jackson.

I happen to know one!

Our chaplain has a scroll and CIB.

As an atheist.....I give zero fucks about this. Stop digging for bullshit to get ass hurt over. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Ive known Navy Chaplains attached to Marine Corps units with Combat Action Ribbon. The only criteria for awards like this is to perform satisfactory during a ground engagement with the enemy. If the Chaplain is praying for death and destruction upon our enemy while being engaged in a firefight, he rates it.

Just to be clear The question wasn't if a chaplain can have a CAB but more of if a Special Forces member would have a CAB as opposed to a CIB.

Judging by the CPT's age, he is definitely prior service as pointed out. I'd be willing to say he likely made it up to E8 or so and then converted. Totally legit. Would not have questioned this at all. Doubt he'd be running around Jackson with am SF tab he didn't earn.

Good on him. Would love to have a Chaplain with his background around.

Looks prior enlisted, only an officer would have doubts.

Our old battalion PA was a SFC 18D before going to PA school and still wears the long tab and all his chest candy. The only thing I would find fishy is why he would wear a cab instead of a CIB