| Combat Medical Badge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Awarded by United States Army | |
| Type | Badge |
| Eligibility | An army medic supporting a ground combat arms unit brigade or lower. Can not be awarded to Flag or General Officers. |
| Awarded for | Performing medical duties while being actively engaged by the enemy. |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Last awarded | On going |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | (Group 1 badges) CIB - EIB - CAB |
| Same | (Group 2 badges) EFMB - CMB |
| Next (lower) | (Group 3 badges) Astronaut - Aviator - Flight Surgeon Aircrew - EOD |
The Combat Medical Badge is a decoration of the United States Army which was first created in January 1945. The badge is awarded to any member of the Army Medical Department, pay grade Colonel or below, who are assigned or attached to a medical unit (company or smaller size) which provides medical support to a ground combat arms unit during any period in which the unit was engaged in active ground combat. As of June 3, 2005, Special Forces are no longer eligible for award. The Combat Medical Badge is retroactive to December 6, 1941. The original decoration was considered a one-time decoration, however this directive was rescinded in 1951 allowing for multiple awards of the Combat Medical Badge denoted by stars encircling the decoration. The directive was again altered in 1969 to specify that only one award of the Combat Medical Badge is authorized for service in Vietnam, Laos, the Dominican Republic, Korea (subsequent to 4 January 1969), El Salvador, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, and Somalia regardless of whether an individual has served in one or more of these areas. In 1947, a policy was implemented that authorized the retroactive award of the Bronze Star Medal to soldiers who had received the Combat Medical badge during the Second World War. The basis for doing this was that the Combat Medical Badge was awarded only to soldiers who had borne combat duties befitting the Bronze Star Medal and also that both awards required a recommendation by the commander and a citation in orders. The Army also issues the Expert Field Medical Badge for non-combat medical qualification and service.
