What is the history of the Blue Cord?

Poor response to an AD PV2 there SSG Przeszlowski - Mentorship! The young troop asked a simple question, and being fairly new to the Army, you could have offered a more professional answer those Stripes and Rocker are typically renowned. However, looks like you left that to the Officer Corp to shine in that department with CAPT Goenner... Hopefully you'll pick-up on something you can improve on before you earn that (P). Keep that crap to FB!

And without aviation yall would be sitting stateside with your thumbs up your asses.

SPC Chris Benson - just saw this lol. no, I was offered the job that wasn't even on what I listed, but my recruiter told me the career field was critically manned and I was a perfect fit with my ASVAB. so I took the job that the air force needed over what I wanted.

Smart people don’t belong in the infantry. When you call someone a POG, don’t be mad if they call you an idiot. Cause, you probably are one.

I started off in the Infantry (11B) in 1977, and re-enlisted in the Air Defense Artillery (16D) in 1981. Left the Army in 1985 because I wasn't allowed to go back to being a Grunt again! Even though I did have to put away my Blue Cord and disks while I was in the A.D.A. (Another Damned Army/ Bastards of the Air Force), I still carried with me the Infantry discipline and mindset, which was far superior than that of those damned Duck Hunters! Once a Grunt, always a Grunt!

Sgt David Etheridge sorry I meant only mos cord authorized by army regulations, I figured from my answer that that was pretty self explanatory. Yes there are other cords that are authorized in army regulations but we weren't talking about those we were talking solely about mos cords

Captain,

The below is from AR 670-1. The blue cord is not an organization decoration, but is in fact an award authorized by the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Infantry Center. An Infantryman always wears their blue cord and discs, except when changing their PMOS. If an Infantryman gets assigned to a non-Infantry unit, they are in an assigned Infantry position per unit MTOE, the exception being in a Protocol Office as they are all non-MOS specific assignments. Wear the cord proudly, not everyone can earn it.

a. Cord, shoulder.

(1) Description. See Below

(2) How worn. See Below

(3) Approval authority. The Commanding General, U.S. Army Infantry Center authorizes the award of the shoulder cord to infantrymen who have successfully completed the appropriate training. For ARNG Soldiers, commanders of divisions, separate brigades, infantry regiments, the infantry scout group, and state adjutants general for separate infantry battalions and companies are authorized to award the shoulder cord to ARNG Soldiers who have successfully
completed the appropriate training.

(4) Authorized wearers.


(a) Officers and enlisted personnel of the infantry, who hold an infantry PMOS or specialty, and who have been awarded the combat Infantryman badge, the expert infantryman badge, or who have successfully completed the basic unit phase of an Army training program or an equivalent.

(b) Enlisted personnel who have completed one station unit training (OSUT), resulting in the award of an infantry PMOS.

(c) Infantry officers who have graduated from the resident infantry officer basic or advanced course.

(d) Infantry officers who have graduated from the Infantry Officer Candidate Course (during mobilization).

(e) Infantry officers and enlisted personnel in the Reserve Components, who hold an infantry PMOS or specialty.

(5) When worn.

(a) During the period of assignment to an infantry regiment, brigade, separate infantry battalion, infantry company (including the headquarters and headquarters company of an infantry division), infantry platoon, or infantry TDA unit. In addition, infantrymen assigned to infantry sections or squads within units other than infantry units may wear the cord when authorized by battalion or higher-level commanders.

(b) During the period assigned for duty as an Army recruiter or advisor, ROTC instructor, or member of the staff and faculty of the U.S. Military Academy, as long as the individual retains an infantry PMOS or specialty.

(c) During the period of assignment at brigade- or lower-level BT or advance individual training units, or in OSUT infantry units, as long as individual retains an infantry PMOS or specialty.

(d) Infantry OSUT and Infantry Officer Basic Course graduates may wear the cord en route to their initial follow-on
infantry assignment.

(e) Soldiers en route from an assignment where wear of the shoulder cord was authorized are permitted to wear the shoulder cord if they are pending reassignment to another organization authorized wear of the cord, or when assigned to a separation point for discharge purposes.

Sir, the Cord is authorized when you serve in an infantry function. Mortar platoon in a tank BN.

SPC Erich Guenther - Didn't know they were authorized the CIB in that instance, I thought they could only get the CMB

SPC (Join to see) - It says in the regulation and restricts it only to Special Forces Medic Troops, I think because by MOS they are dual function. Not sure why they allow it for Special Forces troops but not regular troops.

SPC Erich Guenther - I imagine there's a lot of different rules for SF

I feel that the SOF should be stripped of the blue cord!!! There is severe hardship that is experienced by serving in an infantry unit that you really don’t experience in other types of units. SOF entry is tough but after that, hardship as experienced by infantrymen is not experienced exactly the same while in an SOF unit. There is minimal hardship by individual members of SOF with all those gadgets and all that support they receive that the average infantry soldier and unit does not have available... This is what makes serving in the infantry especially difficult!!!

Thanks, SGT Philip Roncari. I was an 11C from 12MAR70 until 15JUN73, and I also still have my blue infantry cord!

Attended AIT at Fort Benning in 1977 and we had a 'turning blue" ceremony right after that 25 mile road march. Started at dawn and finished before sunset. The friction from the sand on the road made my boots hotter than heck. Too old for that now!

Me too, SGT Roncari, and just yesterday I looked at my blue cord once again.

SGT Carl Blas - Sadly I’ve lost my Blue Cord years ago ,but the words of my Platoon Sergeant still remain “,You are Infantry now and you will be Infantry until the day you die!”

I've noticed this to be a standard response, if you want it do it. Didn't say I wanted it, otherwise I'd be an Infantrymen and not a Paralegal. The purpose was learning a bit more about Army history, like you having red and white socks. Didn't know Cav did that, where the hell do you buy the socks? Never saw that at the PX.

French Fourrageres are essentially foreign unit awards, whereas blue infantry cords are an organizational item. Unless assigned to an infantry unit, even infantrymen are not authorized to wear infantry branch items.

Several Army units are authorized the French fourragère for various battles as well, Sir.

SGT Richard H. - Ah, you've touched upon the parochialism of my military education Sgt Hanner.. as much as the Corps might hate to admit it, the Army has played a significant role in the defence of our nation! No intent to minimize that contribution. I even have friends who were Army.

LtCol Robert Quinter - Sir, I have the Honor of having served in both and feel a strong sense of pride and esprit in both, so far be it from me to marginalize either one!

I was under the impression the Blue Cord came out of the Korean War.

Thats like the French Forragere worn by the 5th and 6th Marine Divisions. They were awarded them by the French government in WW1 and to my knowledge are the only cords worn in the USMC now that Female DIs wear the Campaign Cover instead to the cord they used to have

John Parmenter yes ROTC Cadets wear many different cords. They are used for different functions, and are awarded at the unit level. Examples from the AFJROTC unit I was part of include a silver cord worn on the shirt by cadet staff members, white cord worn on the coat by our drill team, silver cord worn on coat by color guard(we also had white cords that were worn on the shirt that were used by drill team/color guard members) and our Drill Team commander wore a Navy blue and Silver cord

PFC Larry Dale - ROTC Cadets at any level and Cadets at Military Colleges, West Point ETC are not military they are students.

...and this is why you shouldn't do drugs before making a post on the internet kids.