What are some of the most absurd incidents you have witnessed of an individual or group being awarded the Combat Action Badge (CAB)?

I have one to top them all, while conducting a TCP near a few miles away from Taji in'05, we had a mortar attack inbound to our point and a soldier who was in a porta-potty was hit while taking a crap and was awarded a CAB for the incident. Now that was what I called being in the "shit", I had to do it, you know I did.

I was on CAF waiting to go on leave. Some one came in the tent screaming "get to a bunker, INCOMMING" . I didn't hear a thing. not an alarm, the whistle or the resulting impact. Nothing. But they made us get in the bunker anyway. I took my kit to use as a pillow. still in the bunker I get woken up again because they "wanted my name" to submit for a CAB with everyone else! I told them I already had one, the response..... you don't want another one? -_- I have no idea if they actually got CABs , I left the same day. apparently the "round" hit the flight line. If you have ever been to CAF you know how far away that is from the transient tents.

Each engagement is different. I was with my team, returning from an op and passing thru Shewan, Afghanistan....a notoriously unfriendly town....and an individual took a pot shot at the gunner in the vehicle ahead of mine. I won't call him a sniper, because his shooting skills were abysmal. No one saw him, few heard the shot. I had my first TIC 2 weeks after arriving at my post. It was an ambush by 5 guys who were tactically challenged. That engagement lasted about 30 minutes. Lots of ammo expended. End result, no friendly casualties, 5 PUCs, and I did not get my CAB for that TIC. Mine came later, after a gunfight at Farah, max range was about 7 meters, with small arms and grenades. Result was two dead bad guys and a shot up house. I will not second guess someone who has a CAB just because someone else did not see the bad guys or hear the shots. Combat is confusing, and no two people see the same event the same way.

A group of about 40 of us Navy people were issued CAB's in '07 @ Bucca. Huge detainee riot at an Air Force compound that they couldn't control (mind you, they got low tier suspects). TOC sent Navy in to secure them and place them into holding. Funny thing is.. Air Force ran QRF too.. hmmm. Anyway, Army put us in for CAB's. Do Chia-rocks, fece-rocks, pee-poo water bottle bombs count for direct or in-direct fire?

It's funny, you have individuals that have earned the MOH that are more humble than those that pick at what they deem underdeserving! They raised their hand and got sent somewhere no one wants to go. Have to call Bullshit on this post - anything else to complain about, run for a seat in the House of Representatives!

Our BDE HQ was in Talil, for the whole year they heard two mortar rounds go off. Surprised how many qualified for being close to it, as it was out in the middle of nowhere.

I was assisting a Soldier with a CAB who had a mortar round hit in his vicinity while walking to the shower point. He had pictures showing shrapnel damage to a semi trailer. Other members in his unit from that incident received the CAB so he was trying to get what he felt he was due. Unfortunately, he was no longer in that unit nor in a deployed environment. The more I looked over the supporting documents and the repeated kickbacks from higher command, the less I felt the award was earned. I had no problem assisting him, I wasn't there, I didn't feel any sense of danger he may have felt. I could only go by my brother, deployed several times, that mortar attacks were routine and seldom resulted with any significant damage and minimal injuries, if any. The Soldier failed to provide all of the supporting documentation and he transferred to another unit prior to seeing if he would get the award from a separate command than he deployed with. My issue is are we using overkill with awards like these? When I think of a Combat Action Badge, I think of someone engaged in combat with the enemy, not walking to a shower point where you take cover for a minute and then continue about your business. I am not trying to take anything away from anyone, like others have said, it is what the indivual felt they went through and having the local commander approve the action at that time. This Soldier came to a unit that wasn't there with him and was unable to see it as a real action, instead we just read statements and saw some pictures. I did put my personal opinion aside and continued to assist this Soldier until he departed the command.

Oh, it gets worse. While in the Nam I served on A-401, B-40 IV Corps Mobile Strike Force C-4, 5th Special Forces Group. We ran 30 day combat operations with our Cambodians 43rd Company ABN. The Detachment Commander came out to visit for a few days. On his second night we were hit by a NVA force in a human wave attack. If it weren’t for the OP/LP they would have wiped us out. During the 3 hour battle I was calling in CAS, artillery with adjustments and walking the perimeter to ensure everyone was up. At one point I assisted in the recovery of a wounded Cambodian OP/LP. When the last shots were fired I met with SSG Greg Skougland the other NCO (each indigenous company was commanded by two USSF NCOs’) i asked Greg if he’d seen the Captain, no he responded. As we walked past the center of the perimeter a head popped out of one of the three fighting positions meant for the 60mm Crew. I called out “is that you Captain XXXXXXXX?” he nodded has and then I said, “sir, you can come out now it’s all over, the NVA withdrew.” Now the BS. The B-Team commanded put Greg and I in for the BSw/V mostly for the recovery of the wounded Cambode while under fire. The Captain filled out his own 638 for the BS w/V and the new B-Team commander non the wiser signed and ordered Greg and I to sign as witnesses. We protested saying that he hid at the bottom of a foxhole to no avail we were ordered to sign. The Captain tore up my 638 I’m assuming that 3 awards would be to many. Yes he received the award. During a phone call with the original B-Team Commander he asked me if I’d received the award. I told him what happened and he went ballistic then took the time to resubmit the 638 through Sen Kholes office for I was stationed at Ft McCoy at the time. It was approved and awarded at my graduation from the Battle Staff Course (2S ASI). It also made ‘Soldier Magazine’ with photo. My certificate has a date of 1997 as in the posted photo, the battle happened in February 1970. The photo of me was taken the morning after the protracted firefight. The group photo are the Cambodian soldiers of 43rd Company all Airborne qualified.

I've got about a hundred stories, but I will just put up this graphic. It says it all.