CommunityEditor
02-25-2008, 03:02 PM
Award and decoration totals from Iraq and Afghanistan are edging toward half a million, according to the Army’s most recent medal count for the combat theater.
Still well short of the 2.8 million decorations awarded for the nine-year Vietnam War, 361,904 medals and badges have been awarded for Iraq since March 2003, and 74,527 for the 6½-year campaign in Afghanistan.
The statistics, which reflect award totals through Dec. 31, 2007, include valor and service medals, and the Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Medical Badge and the Combat Action Badge.
The CAB, established in May 2005, recognizes the service of soldiers who come under fire in a combat zone but who are not eligible for the Combat Infantryman or Combat Medical Badge.
Army award authorities recently reminded commanders who have Reserve soldiers in their units to process CAB awards during deployment.
If in-theater processing is not possible, commanders have 90 days after re-deployment to act on CAB requests.
However, CAB requests not processed before re-deployment must be submitted on a DA Form 4187 (request for personnel action) with supporting documentation through the first brigadier general in a soldier’s chain of command to the Military Awards Branch of Human Resources Command, Alexandria, Va.
Authority delegated for awards
The Army also has announced that Gen. David Petraeus, the senior commander in Iraq, is authorized to delegate award authority for Campaign Participation Credit and Assault Landing Credit to subordinate commanders.
The Army also has delegated that same authority to the commanders of Joint Task Force-82 and the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan.
Under the new policy for Iraq, Petraeus can delegate approval authority for the Campaign Participation Credit to lieutenant generals and the Assault Landing Credit to major generals.
The CPC is awarded to tactical units that deploy 65 percent or more of their soldiers to the combat theater.
The ALC is awarded to units in the combat zone that make a parachute jump, helicopter assault or landing craft assault into enemy-held territory.
Specific requirements are contained in Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards.
Article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/army_250208_medals/
Still well short of the 2.8 million decorations awarded for the nine-year Vietnam War, 361,904 medals and badges have been awarded for Iraq since March 2003, and 74,527 for the 6½-year campaign in Afghanistan.
The statistics, which reflect award totals through Dec. 31, 2007, include valor and service medals, and the Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Medical Badge and the Combat Action Badge.
The CAB, established in May 2005, recognizes the service of soldiers who come under fire in a combat zone but who are not eligible for the Combat Infantryman or Combat Medical Badge.
Army award authorities recently reminded commanders who have Reserve soldiers in their units to process CAB awards during deployment.
If in-theater processing is not possible, commanders have 90 days after re-deployment to act on CAB requests.
However, CAB requests not processed before re-deployment must be submitted on a DA Form 4187 (request for personnel action) with supporting documentation through the first brigadier general in a soldier’s chain of command to the Military Awards Branch of Human Resources Command, Alexandria, Va.
Authority delegated for awards
The Army also has announced that Gen. David Petraeus, the senior commander in Iraq, is authorized to delegate award authority for Campaign Participation Credit and Assault Landing Credit to subordinate commanders.
The Army also has delegated that same authority to the commanders of Joint Task Force-82 and the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan.
Under the new policy for Iraq, Petraeus can delegate approval authority for the Campaign Participation Credit to lieutenant generals and the Assault Landing Credit to major generals.
The CPC is awarded to tactical units that deploy 65 percent or more of their soldiers to the combat theater.
The ALC is awarded to units in the combat zone that make a parachute jump, helicopter assault or landing craft assault into enemy-held territory.
Specific requirements are contained in Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards.
Article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/army_250208_medals/