Combat Medical Badge
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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 an infantry or special forces unit during any period in which the unit was engaged in active ground combat.
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 The original decoration was considered a one time decoration, however this directive was rescinded in 1951 allowing for multiple awards of the Combat Medical Badge denoted by stars centered around the decoration.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.
See also: Military badges of the United States