Why not allow former Infantrymen (11B's) to wear the blue Infantry cord?

old school was: if you earned the blue cord in combat with an 11 or 18 series MOS you were allowed to keep it.

My early MOS was 11B but was changed too another primary mos later. Rules are rules! I am 11b at heart but that is all!

You earned it! Wear it!!!

I was not aware of the blue cord reg. Sucks! If I can wear a CIB, I should be allowed to wear the cord. The green cord I can understand. But I agree with the MC mantra of Once...Always.

I agree. They should have their blue cords permanently

Though I was a Combat Medic (I do mean Medic, not this Healthcare Special motorpool/clinic/Hospital-ist I was combat arms all 4 years) if my 2 cents are worth anything, I feel that an Infantryman should be able to keep his Blue Cord if/when he earns his CIB as part of the privilege of “earning” the cord... not just by grace of going through school & serving the TIS. Kind of like the Fore ‘d Je cords, some units (esp the WWII units) wear them, but only those who earned them at the time of issue or conflict can wear them for life... same with combat patches and unit citations.

Perhaps because you are no longer 11B's- At one time, CAV, FA, EN and other branches had their own cord- so it would look silly to wear 2 cords, particularly if you ain't a grunt no more.

Because the cord denotes current active MOS as combat arms...yellow for cav, red for arty, blue for infantry.

If you are not in one of these combat arms MOS's, currently, you have NOT "earned it", it is NOT a "permanent award", it is a piece of additional uniform to identify you as an actual combat soldier right now, as opposed to "support"...because we NEED support, for the military to run...but without us, there's nothing for you to support, and no reason for you to exist.

Doesn't make us anything "above", but it DOES make it logical to add items that are ONLY part of the uniform while you are active.

Example...you kept your jump wings because you were given them as an AWARD. Same with your qual badges, CIB, anything of that sort. They are badges. You're awarded medals. You're AWARDED your tab, on a permanent basis, after 6 months, as a ranger or above. Until you have done something to be awarded them, you're not permitted to wear them...once you have, they are FOREVER yours.

The cords aren't an award, though...they're nothing but a functions designator for the actual fighters. Do you expect to wear an Army uniform in the Marines, if you transfer across services? No? Why not? COMPLETELY DIFFERENT UNIFORM STANDARDS, and you are not Army, anymore, you're marines...so yo wear Marine uniform.

Blue cord is INFANTRY uniform, not ARMY uniform, just like, back in the jungle BDU days, a red beret meant airborne...nobody else could wear one, if not in an active airborne unit, and you lost the right upon exiting one...or a black beret for Rangers...which you were disallowed if you exited Rangers...regardless of MOS.

I believe the intent of the post was missed by a some of the respondents, particularly after reading a number of the comments here.

I understand what the regulation (AR 670-1 para 19-30) says, just as the original poster indicated in his description.

In my opinion, the blue cord should be an individual award upon being awarded the MOS. The blue discs should be the determining factor to whether or not an infantryman is actively serving is said roll. At least we have been given the opportunity to retain our RDIs for units we have served with without having to request said affiliation anymore.

The Blue cord I always thought can be like a qualification badge worn to represent ones previous accomplishment and brotherhood an infantryman shares with his fellow infantry as well as for those who had once served as an infantryman should be allowed to wear it they earned it.