- Combat Action Ribbon
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Combat Action Ribbon 
USN/USMC Combat Action Ribbon (Left)
USCG Combat Action Ribbon (Right)Awarded by United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
United States Coast GuardType Individual Award Eligibility Active participation of ground or surface combat on or after December 7, 1941 Awarded for Actively engaged in ground combat with the enemy Status Still Issued Statistics Established February 17, 1969 (USN/USMC)
July 16, 2008 (USCG)Precedence Next (higher) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Commandant's Letter of Commendation RibbonRelated USAF Combat Action Medal
Army Combat Action BadgeThe Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard (or Colonel in the Marine Corps), have actively participated in ground or surface combat.
Additional awards of the Combat Action Ribbon are denoted by gold and silver award stars.
Contents
The Combat Action Ribbon was first created in February 1969 with SECNAVNOTE 1650[1] with retroactive presentation to March 1, 1961. However on October 5, 1999, by Presidential Order of Bill Clinton and under Public Law 106-65, the retroactive effective date of the Combat Action Ribbon was changed to December 7, 1941 which was the entry date of the United States of America into the Second World War.
To be awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, the individual must have rendered satisfactory performance under enemy fire while actively participating in a ground or surface engagement.
Personnel who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge while a member of the United States Army may be authorized to wear the Combat Action Ribbon upon application to the Department of the Navy. As of May 2005, the United States Army has created a new decoration known as the Combat Action Badge (previously known as the Combat Recognition Ribbon) which is considered the direct Army equivalent to the Combat Action Ribbon, though the CAB is not available to infantry or medical Soldiers who are in combat arms units, and is available to officers at or below the rank of Colonel.
Retroactive awards of the Combat Action Ribbon, for retired, deceased, or discharged personnel, are handled by the Navy Liaison Officer to the National Personnel Records Center.
While any eligible sailor or Marine may receive the ribbon, [2] lists units and operations whose members or participants are authorized to wear it.
The Navy/Marine Corps version of the Combat Action Ribbon may be awarded to members of the Coast Guard if they are operating with a Navy or Marine Corps unit.
Coast Guard
The Coast Guard version of the Combat Action Ribbon was created on July 16, 2008 as announced in. The criterion for the Combat Action Ribbon is satisfactory performance under enemy fire while actively participating in a ground or maritime engagement.[3]
Criteria also include personnel with direct exposure to the detonation of an improvised explosive device used by an enemy, and for personnel who serve in clandestine/special operations, who are restricted in their ability to return fire, where the risk of enemy fire was great.
Initially, all other similar awards from other military services were required to be converted to the Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon in order to be worn on the Coast Guard uniform, but the policy was modified to allow wear of the Navy/Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon.[4]
See also
- Combat Action Badge—U.S. Army equivalent
- Air Force Combat Action Medal—U.S. Air Force equivalent
References
- ^ medal devices
- ^ SECNAVINST 1650.1H
- ^ ALCOAST 361/08
- ^ Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon - Official Coast Guard All Hands blog
See also
Meritorious medals Expeditionary medals Good Conduct medals Unit awards _
Presidential Unit Citation · 
Navy Unit Commendation · 
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation · 
Navy E RibbonRibbons Marksmanship __ 
Navy Expert Rifleman Medal · _
Navy Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon · 
Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon · __ 
Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal · _
Navy Sharpshooter Pistol Shot Medal · 
Navy Pistol Marksmanship RibbonDecorations Lifesaving Medals Unit Awards Conduct Medals Service Awards _
Combat Action Ribbon · 
· Enlisted Person of the Year Ribbon · 
Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal · 
Special Operations Service Ribbon · 
Sea Service Ribbon · 
Restricted Duty Ribbon · _
Overseas Service Ribbon · 
Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon · 
Recruiting Service RibbonMarksmanship __ _ _ _ 
Distinguished Marksman Ribbon · __ _ _ 
Silver Excellence in Competition Rifle Ribbon · __ _ 
Bronze Excellence in Competition Rifle Ribbon · __ 
Expert Rifle Ribbon · _
Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon · 
Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon · __ _ _ _ 
Distinguished Pistol Shot Ribbon · __ _ _ 
Silver Pistol Excellence in Competition Ribbon · __ _ 
Bronze Pistol Excellence in Competition Ribbon · __ 
Expert Pistol Ribbon · _
Sharpshooter Pistol Ribbon · 
Pistol Marksmanship RibbonCategories:- Military awards and decorations of the United States
- Awards and decorations of the United States Navy
- Awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps
- Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard
- Awards established in 1969
- 1969 establishments in the United States
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