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

When we did our change over when we arrived in Ramadi we were warned about units that would send people for 'CAB Rides'.
They would go out on a route clearance mission with us in the hopes of having an IED go off close enough to qualify for a CAB, but not hit their vehicle. They were mostly put in the Buffalo, which took a lot of hits when they were interrogating an IED.
Most of the time it would be an officer from a unit that would not otherwise have ever gotten close enough to any action, unless their chopper was shot down, to qualify.
Now we didn't mind taking the mechanics and other support troops out, at least the ones who busted ass to keep us mission ready.

How about service member getting a PH for a explosion that happened 5 trucks ahead. But I got hit from a IED we got nothing. army medals don't mean shit to me anymore

Camp phoenix. Afg. 2012. 4 kids on perimeter wall throwing rocks at us. My saw gunner pointed his weapon there direction and they jumped off the wall. 15 feet or more. Don't know there condition. Tried to put him for a SCAB. Simulated Combat Action Badge. Got to have a sense of humor. Command did not.

I remember one day after TET had started in 'Nam '67-'68! The night was FULL OF FLARES and TRASERS! The VC were testing our Perimeter it seemed forever! The next morning one of the guys in my Platoon ran into our Hooch and SAID HEY WANT TO GO DOWN TO CHU LAI the VC and NVA tried to take the main Hdqts located there and only thing was they had A QUAD 50 AND so there was a lot of VC/NVA Bodies still on the Perimeter Wire and I said NO THANKS thinking I was just glad that I wasn't there last night! Just watching and hearing it the night before was enough for a life time!

Whole awards system messed up. I was third vehicle back in convoy. Lt's vehicle was first for some stupid reason. They get hit with a Vbied. Windows destroyed, tires flat but everyone unharmed. LT gets out and starts cussing at vbied which is just an engine sitting on ground. He then starts to pull out driver who was holding door closed because that was SOP for small arms fire. It was a tug of war with door. The gunner who was in turret on knees starting randomly shooting in air at nothing. After patrol was over the LT wrote it up that he pulled driver from a burning vehicle and directed gunner to take out machine gun nest. He was awarded a bonze star. To everyone else it was a keystone cops moment and deserving of nothing. If i was LT I would be embarassed to even wear it.

Wow really things that make you go humm

I would say, being pinned with a CIB.

Omgosh, person in my unit didn't pull proper maintenance on his vehicle. During war the tanker gas line popped off got fuel all over him and vehicle. He obviously quickly turned off the flow and was awarded a BRONZE STAR. But me I was a machinist, vehicle taken away because of the sand. So I was placed as generator mechanic, not my field and didn't even get an Arch for the whole war! I had a black platoon Sargent that was outing every white guy he could. Ssgt Parker. If anyone has the ability to look this ass hat up. Yeah I'm bitter. I wanted to kill this guy because of how hard he rode me. Lying about me. Had an E8 apologize to me for miss treating me because the things he said. I believe I became an alcoholic because of trying to deal with his shit. Looking back is 20/20.

How is this any different from saying you are a combat medic if you don't have the CMB ?

Seen a bunch get CABs because the DIFAC was hit by small arms fire while they were standing around in there PT uniforms waiting for it to open