Do you listen to yourself when you talk; or do you just fade in and out?

BF, the CAB is not retroactive.  It is only available to those who have been under fire since 9/11.

Hippo, the only exceptions to being infantry as a the requirement for the CIB that I am aware of is for SF Troopers.  There may have been something then that I don't know of, but as far as I do know you have to have had an infantry MOS and you must have been in an infantry slot to qualify.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI.  One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS

Do you listen to yourself when you talk; or do you just fade in and out?

I thought the same thing. That's why I never applied before. But I have been going to a guy at the local county Veteran's Office and he said different and he was the one who helped me apply. I was an RTO in a weapons platoon with B/2/503rd 173rd Abn in Nov thru Feb of 1967 (after that I went to the Brigade Signal Company). That's why I say that while I feel that I did qualify as on on the job training sort of thing I did miss the worst of what was happening at that time.

B Company missed Hill 875 because of a firefight around FSB 16 and then for Tet we were in Ban Me Thout and missed the worst of that as well (No complaints mind you). So that is why I have great respect for those who did more than just punch a clock every morning for thirty days to get their CIBs while I was actually in only one real firefight at Kontum.

If they give me one I will be pleased and proud to wear it, but since I was not Infantry before or after that I never could have earned an EIB and am impressed by those who went the extra mile(s) to get it.

I was commenting on this as a way of saying that. Since I did walk a few hills I have some idea of what it takes to make a good infantryman and am maybe a better informed observer who can say that an EIB is an impressive achievement but that those who have earned a CIB should be proud of that as well. The old vet sarge who made light of his own was putting his men and their achievements first and I respect him for that as well.

 

The hippo is unpredictable and aggressive with old scars and fresh, deep wounds providing signs of daily fights that are accompanied by much bellowing, neighing and snorting.

While it certainly cannot hurt to apply, this excerpt from AR 600-8-22 does not make the outcome of your case appear promising:

While I do hope to get that CIB I have made it 40 years without it. The thing is the EIB is pretty impressive to me having not only seen some of the elephant but some of what an infantry MOS requires. I learned to hump the hills carrying a ruck and a radio and carried a 90mm (not far, that thing is HEAVY), then got some cross training on firing an 81m mortar. The various things that an 11b and some of what an 11c does.

I wish I had gone to the infantry school since that is what I wound up doing for a spell but I did not and trying to pick up those skills on the fly as it were showed me just what a real infantryman is expected to do.

It's called the Queen of Battle for a reason. God bless the infantryman and keep him safe.

 

The hippo is unpredictable and aggressive with old scars and fresh, deep wounds providing signs of daily fights that are accompanied by much bellowing, neighing and snorting.

I was thinking about it and I recall that when I went through AIT there was a guy in my platoon who was a 173rd vet.  He had gotten out of the Army and was coming back in as an 11B(I think he had also had a signal MOS while he was in).  Now that I think about it I do believe he wore a CIB on his Class A uniform and one time talked about some exception in the regs at that time which allowed the Army to award it to him.  The regs have changed some since then(there was no 18 series at that time) so it would depend on how it was written then.  It sounds like you may qualify and should receive it.  Let us know if we can help.

Another interesting side story, the guy that I went through AIT with was on orders to go through jump school with us since his assignment was to be A Co. 3-5th in Panama.  When he got to the company in the 4th Student Battalion he went to the 1SG and informed him that he was already jump qualified and asked did he need to go through the course again.  After confirming that he already had his wings 4th Student Battalion cut him orders for PCS with 30 days leave enroute.

Like I said, we never go of topic!

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI.  One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS