A. AR 600-8-22, MILITARY AWARDS, 25 FEB 95. 

1. THIS MILPER MESSAGE WILL EXPIRE 31 MARCH 2000. 

2. THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES AWARD OF THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE (CIB) AND COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE (CMB) FOR SERVICE IN EL SALVADOR FOR THE PERIOD 1 JAN 81 TO 1 FEB 92, AS AN EXCEPTION TO POLICY. 

3. SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. 

A. COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE. A SOLDIER MUST BE AN INFANTRY OR SPECIAL FORCES OFFICER (SSI 11 OR 18) 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 DEC 41 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.  

(1) SPECIAL PROVISIONS--EL SALVADOR. FROM 1 JANUARY 1981 TO 1 FEBRUARY 1992. TO QUALIFY FOR AWARD OF THE CIB, A SOLDIER MUST HAVE BEEN: 

(A) A MEMBER OF USMILGP-EL SALVADOR ASSIGNED AS AN ADVISOR TO A MILITARY REGION OR ZONE OF ARMED FORCES OF EL SALVADOR (ESAF), OR WHILE SERVING WITH AN INFANTRY UNIT, OR SPECIALIZED INFANTRY-TYPE OR IRREGULAR-TYPE COMBAT UNIT OF BRIGADE OR SMALLER SIZE OF ESAF.

(B) ASSIGNED AS A MEMBER OF A MOBILE TRAINING TEAM THAT WAS ATTACHED TO OR WORKING WITH AN INFANTRY UNIT, OR A SPECIALIZED INFANTRY-TYPE OR IRREGULAR-TYPE COMBAT UNIT OF BRIGADE SIZE OR SMALLER OF ESAF. 

(C) PERSONALLY PRESENT AND UNDER HOSTILE FIRE WHILE ASSIGNED AS SPECIFIED IN (A) AND (B) ABOVE.  

B. COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE. THE CMB IS AUTHORIZED FOR AWARD TO ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL (COLONEL AND BELOW), NAVY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL (CAPTAINS AND BELOW), AND AIR FORCE MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL (COLONELS AND BELOW) ASSIGNED OR ATTACHED BY APPROPRIATE ORDERS TO AN INFANTRY UNIT OF BRIGADE, REGIMENTAL, OR SMALLER SIZE, OR TO A MEDICAL UNIT OF COMPANY OR SMALLER SIZE, ORGANIC TO AN INFANTRY UNIT OF BRIGADE OR SMALLER SIZE, DURING ANY PERIOD THE INFANTRY UNIT WAS ENGAGED IN ACTUAL GROUND COMBAT, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AWARD OF THE CMB, PROVIDED THEY WERE PERSONALLY PRESENT AND UNDER FIRE DURING SUCH GROUND COMBAT AND SATSIFACTORLIY PERFORMED MEDICAL DUTIES. SPECIAL FORCES PERSONNEL POSSESSING MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALITY 18D (SPECIAL OPERATIONS MEDICAL SERGEANT) WHO SATISFACTORILY PERFORMED MEDICAL DUTIES WHILE ASSIGNED OR ATTACHED TO A SPECIAL FORCES UNIT DURING ANY PERIOD THE UNIT WAS ENGAGED IN ACTUAL GROUND COMBAT, PROVIDED THEY WERE PERSONALLY PRESENT AND UNDER FIRE.  

(1) SPECIAL PROVISIONS--EL SALVADOR. FROM 1 JANUARY 1981 TO 1 FEBRUARY 1992. TO QUALIFY FOR THE CMB, A SOLDIER MUST HAVE BEEN: 

(A) A MEMBER OF USMILGP-EL SALVADOR ASSIGNED AS AN ADVISOR TO A MILITARY REGION OR ZONE OF ESAF, OR WHILE SERVING WITH AN INFANTRY UNIT, OR SPECIALIZED INFANTRY-TYPE OR IRREGULAR-TYPE COMBAT UNIT OF BRIGADE OR SMALLER SIZE OF ESAF.

(B) ASSIGNED AS A MEMBER OF A MOBILE TRAINING TEAM WHILE THE TEAM WAS ATTACHED TO OR WORKING WITH AN INFANTRY UNIT, OR A SPECIALIZED INFANTRY-TYPE OR IRREGULAR-TYPE COMBAT UNIT OF BRIGADE OR SMALLER SIZE OF ESAF. 

(C) PERSONALLY PRESENT AND UNDER HOSTILE FIRE WHILE ASSIGNED AS SPECIFIED IN (A) OR (B) ABOVE. 

4. APPROVAL AUTHORITY. APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR AWARD OF THE CIB/CMB FOR SERVICE IN EL SALVADOR IS THE COMMANDER, PERSCOM, ATTN: TAPC-PDO-PA, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22332-0471. REQUESTS FOR AWARD OF THE CIB/CMB WILL BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE SOLDIER'S CURRENT CHAIN OF COMMAND TO PERSCOM AND MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AND/OR DOCUMENTATION: 

A. NUMBER/NAMES OF SOLDIERS INVOLVED IN ACTIVE GROUND COMBAT; 

B. THE SIZE OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED (FRIENDLY AND ENEMY, ESTIMATE NUMBER ENEMY WHEN REQUIRED); 

C. THE TYPE, INTENSITY AND DURATION OF FIRE EXCHANGED; AND 

D. THE TYPE OF OPERATION/INCIDENT THAT PRECIPITATED THE GROUND COMBAT. 

5. VETERANS MAY REQUEST AWARD OF THE CIB/CMB FROM COMMANDER, PERSCOM, ATTN: TAPC-PDO-PA, 200 STOVALL STREET, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22332-0471. 

6. SUBSEQUENT AWARDS. A SEPARATE AWARD OF THE CIB/CMB IS AUTHORIZED FOR QUALIFIED SOLDIERS IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING THREE CONFLICTS: WORLD WAR II (7 DEC 41 TO 3 SEP 45); THE KOREAN WAR (27 JUN 50 TO 27 JUL 53); THE VIETNAM CONFLICT. SERVICE IN THE VIETNAM CONFLICT AFTER 1 MAR 61 COMBINED WITH QUALIFYING SERVICE IN THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS IS RECOGNIZED BY ONE AWARD OF THE CIB OR CMB REGARDLESS OF WHETHER A SOLDIER HAS SERVED ONE OR MULTIPLE TOURS IN ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 

A. LAOS, FROM 19 APR 61 TO 6 OCT 62.

B. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, FROM 28 APR 65 TO 1 SEP 66.

C. KOREA ON THE DMZ, AFTER 4 JAN 69, BUT BEFORE 31 MAR 94.

D. GRENADA, FROM 23 OCT TO 21 NOV 83.

E. PANAMA, FROM 20 DEC 89 TO 31 JAN 90.

F. PERSIAN GULF WAR, FROM 17 JAN 91 TO 11 APR 91.

G. SOMALIA, 5 JUN 93 TO 31 MAR 94.

H. EL SALVADOR, 1 JAN 81 TO 1 FEB 92. 

7. IF A SOLDIER HAS BEEN AWARDED THE CIB/CMB FOR SERVICE IN THE VIETNAM CONFLICT OR ANY OF THE VIETNAM-ERA AREAS LISTED ABOVE, THAT SOLDIER IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO EARN A SUBSEQUENT AWARD OF THE CIB/CMB DURING THAT SAME ERA. 

8. WEAR POLICY. SEE PARAGRAPH 28-17, AR 670-1, WEAR AND APPEARANCE OF THE ARMY UNIFORMS AND INSIGNA, 1 SEP 92.