Combat Infantryman Badge


The Combat Infantryman Badge is a United States Army military decoration. The badge is awarded to infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers in the rank of colonel and below, who fought in active ground combat while assigned as members of either an Infantry or Special Forces unit of brigade size or smaller at any time after 6 December 1941. For those soldiers who are not members of an infantry, or Special Forces unit, the Combat Action Badge is awarded instead. For soldiers with an MOS in the medical field they would, with the exception of a Special Forces Medical Sergeant, receive the Combat Medical Badge. 18D Special Forces Medics would receive the Combat Infantryman badge instead.
The CIB and its non-combat contemporary, the Expert Infantryman Badge, were created in November 1943 during World War II to boost morale and increase the prestige of service in the Infantry. Specifically, it recognizes the inherent sacrifices of all infantrymen, and that they face a greater risk of being wounded or killed in action than any other military occupational specialties.
In mid-2025 the Army introduced "master combat badges," including the Master Combat Infantryman Badge. The badge recognizes those who have earned both a CIB and either an EIB, Expert Soldier Badge, or Expert Field Medical Badge.

History

After the United States' declaration of war in 1941, the War Department had difficulty in recruiting soldiers into the Infantry branch in cases where men were given the opportunity to choose their branch of assignment, and the morale of soldiers in the Infantry branch remained low, namely due to the fact that "f all Soldiers , it was recognized that the infantryman continuously operated under the worst conditions and performed a mission that was not assigned to any other Soldier or unit... he infantry, a small portion of the total Armed Forces, was suffering the most casualties while receiving the least public recognition." Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair, commanding officer of the U.S. Army Ground Forces, championed the idea of creating an award recognizing the unique dangers faced by infantrymen.
On 27 October 1943, the War Department formally established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge awards in Section I of War Department Circular 269:
"Infantrymen, including officers," established eligibility for the CIB by "exemplary conduct in action against the enemy" or "satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy in a major operation" determined and announced by theater commanders. The circular stipulated that "...only one of these badges will be worn at one time" and "the Combat Infantryman badge is the highest award." The awarding of the CIB was officially authorized with an executive order dated 15 November 1943. War Department Circular 186, dated 11 May 1944, rescinded Circular 269 and clarified CIB eligibility as being "restricted to officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men, assigned to infantry regiments or lower infantry units, except officers and enlisted men of the Medical Department and the Corps of Chaplains," who had performed "exemplary conduct in action against the enemy." On 30 June 1944, Congress approved an extra ten dollars in monthly pay to every soldier awarded the CIB, excepting commissioned officers.

Retroactive awards

The World War II regulations originally did not prescribe a specific combat service period establishing infantrymen's eligibility for being awarded a CIB. War Department Circular 105, dated 13 March 1944, amended Circular 269. Page 2, paragraph IV. BADGE – Section 1, Circular No. 269 War Department, 1943, adding paragraph 8, as follows:
8. Retroactive award of Expert and Combat Infantryman badges may be awarded to any infantryman who, on or after 6 December 1941, has established eligibility and been recommended for such award under the provisions of paragraph 2b or paragraph 3b. The Expert Infantryman badge may be awarded under paragraph 2a, only to those infantryman who have established eligibility and been recommended for such award on or after 27 October 1943.

As holders of the CIB had also borne the hardships that had originally influenced approval of the Bronze Star Medal for ground troops in 1944, the U.S. government implemented a policy in 1947 which authorized the retroactive awarding of Bronze Stars to World War II veteran soldiers who had been awarded the CIB. Both awards required a commander's recommendation and a citation in pertinent orders. General Marshall initiated this after Medal of Honor–recipient Major Charles W. Davis noted to him that: "It would be wonderful, if someone could design a badge for every infantryman who faces the enemy, every day and every night, with so little recognition".
From the beginning, Army leaders have taken care to retain the badge for the unique purpose for which it was established, and to prevent the adoption of any other awards that would lower its prestige. At the close of World War II, the largest war in which armor and artillery played key roles in the ground campaigns, a review was conducted of the CIB criteria with consideration being given to creating either additional badges or authorizing the badge to cavalry and armor units. The review noted that any change in policy would detract from the prestige of the badge.

Current eligibility requirements

A soldier must meet the following requirements to be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge:
  1. Be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties
  2. Assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat
  3. Actively participate in such ground combat
Campaign or battle credit alone is not sufficient for award of the CIB. The specific eligibility criteria for the CIB require that an officer in the grade of colonel or below, or an Army enlisted soldier or warrant officer with an infantry or Special Forces MOS, who subsequent to 6 December 1941 has satisfactorily performed duty while assigned or attached as a member of an infantry, ranger or special forces unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size during any period such unit was engaged in active ground combat. Eligibility also includes soldiers or officers with an MOS other than infantry or Special Forces that hold a prior or secondary infantry or Special Forces MOS and that are assigned or temporarily attached to an infantry unit of any size smaller than a brigade. Eligibility for Special Forces personnel in Military Occupational Specialties 18B, 18C, 18E, 18F, and 18Z accrues from 20 December 1989. Retroactive awards of the CIB to Special Forces personnel are not authorized prior to 20 December 1989. A recipient must be personally present and under hostile fire while serving in an assigned infantry or Special Forces primary duty, in a unit actively engaged in ground combat with the enemy. The unit in question can be of any size smaller than brigade. Army regulations prohibit the Combat Infantryman Badge from being awarded to general officers.
On or after 18 September 2001: a soldier must be an Army infantry or special forces officer in the grade of Colonel or below, or an Army enlisted soldier or warrant officer with an infantry or special forces MOS, who has satisfactorily performed duty while assigned or attached as a member of an infantry, ranger or special forces unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size during any period such unit was engaged in active ground combat. A soldier must be personally present and under fire while serving in an assigned infantry or Special Forces primary duty, in a unit engaged in active ground combat, to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires. Army soldiers possessing MOS of 18D who satisfactorily perform special forces duties while assigned or attached to a special forces unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size during any period such unit was engaged in active ground combat may be awarded the CIB. These soldiers must have been personally present and engaged in active ground combat, to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires. Retroactive awards under these criteria are not authorized for service prior to 18 September 2001. Those soldiers possessing MOS of 18D who qualify for award of the CMB from 18 September 2001 to 3 June 2005 will remain qualified for the badge.

Qualifying conflicts, operations and periods

The CIB is authorized for award for the following qualifying wars, conflicts, and operations. A separate award of the CIB has been authorized for qualified soldiers in the following qualifying periods:
  • World War II
  • Korean War
  • Vietnam War and other operations
  • * Vietnam War combined with qualifying service in Laos
  • * Dominican Republic
  • * South Korea on the demilitarized zone
  • * El Salvador
  • * Grenada
  • * Joint Security Area, Panmunjom, South Korea
  • * Panama
  • * South West Asia Conflict
  • * Somalia
  • Global War on Terrorism
  • *Afghanistan
  • *Iraq
  • *Iraq & Syria
NOTE: Subsequent awards of the CIB are not authorized for the same qualifying period, as outlined above. Subsequent awards of the CIB may be awarded provided the soldier has met eligibility criteria in separate Qualifying Periods/Eras. For example, a second award with superimposed star on the wreath could be awarded for a soldier who served in Somalia and OEF.
In the Korean War: The special requirements for award of the CIB for service in South Korea are rescinded. Army veterans and Service members who served in South Korea on or after 28 July 1953 and meet the criteria for award of the CIB may submit an application for award of the CIB.

Badge design

The original, World War II–model CIB was a silver and enamel badge, consisting of a rectangular bar with an infantry-blue field upon which is superimposed a Springfield Arsenal Musket, Model 1795. The composite device is superimposed to an elliptic oak-leaf wreath, symbolizing steadfast character, strength, and loyalty. During World War II, there existed metallic, composite models of the CIB composed of a separate EIB rectangle-badge and oak-leaf wreath that then was pinned to the blouse, as a Combat Infantryman Badge. Later, a matte-black subdued metal badge was created for wearing on the fatigues in the field. Since World War II, the CIB has been made in cloth for wear, like the matte-metal model, on the fatigue field uniform, and, a miniature lacquered-metal CIB model is available for wearing on the mess dress uniform and civilian clothes.
On 8 February 1952, the Army approved the addition of stars to the CIB indicating the soldier's having fought in more than one war. The first was the second-award CIB recognizing Korean War combat operations; in that time, the U.S. Army's Institute of Heraldry also had created eighth-award CIB designs. The second- through fourth-award CIB awards were indicated with silver five-point stars, one to three stars centered, at badge's top, between the tips of the oak-leaf wreath; the fifth- through eighth-awards of the CIB were indicated with gold stars. However, Army Regulation 600-8-22 only authorizes up to three awards of the CIB. There are four periods for which an award of the badge can be made:
Currently, the Combat Infantryman Badge is worn above the service ribbons above the left-breast pocket of the Class-A uniform coat and of the other uniforms with which the CIB is authorized. As of June 2011, the badge and its sew-on equivalent may be worn on the Army Combat Uniform.