Combat Action Ribbon

[doesitmatter]

It also shows my CAR I got in Marjah in '09....over a year before the rest of the Marine corps decided to show up and steal my glory.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Thanks, Mach 1 & DiM. I'm guessing it's not '100 percent' but still a decent 'first source' to check.

[GolfTwoFive0311]

You don't rate a CAR. You were never in combat. You got your OIF campaign medal, be proud of that. But you were never in combat.

Then what would you call it? My platoon and my squad were engaged directly several times; rounds were cracking over head, mortars were exploding nearby while I was in the kill radius (the only reason I didn't get injured or killed was because of the concrete barriers), a VB-IED blew a CP to smithereens, RPGs were impacting our COP, etc. If that's not "combat", then what the hell is it? And I'm not trying to sound like some badass or anything. I know there's plenty of Marines who've seen a lot more **** than I have, but what I went through rates more than just an OIF campaign medal. Even POGs and fobbits get that.

Kandahar Airfield gets pelted with mortars and RPG attacks everyday. You think the thousands of pogues and fobbits actually rate a CAR? **** no.

You're comparing Kandahar Airfield to my COP in Karma? Those POGS only see or hear mortars and RPGs impacting hundreds of meters away from them on the peripheries of the FOB. I had shrapnel and bullets flying over my head. Was it Iwo Jima? Hell no. But it sure as hell wasn't Kandahar Airfield.

Anyway, I don't want to get into an argument with anyone. I'm pretty much over it by now anyway. The only reason I'm even posting right now is because I got an email for by birthday.

The main point - which, ironically, you brought up - is that, yes, I got my OIF campaign medal, but so do the same pogs and fobbits you just mentioned. If I don't rate a CAR, then shouldn't I at least rate something that sets me apart from Marines who never left the wire and were never in any real danger?

Whatever, I'm rambling now...Semper Fi.

[Riven37]

Unless your company commander puts you in for the CAR you are just out of luck. You can be in some type of combat and never rate the CAR. You can even be wounded and never get the CAR, and then you have guys who were in combat on the light side and gets their CAR it’s a toss up all based on that company commander putting you in for one.

Then what would you call it? My platoon and my squad were engaged directly several times; rounds were cracking over head, mortars were exploding nearby while I was in the kill radius (the only reason I didn't get injured or killed was because of the concrete barriers), a VB-IED blew a CP to smithereens, RPGs were impacting our COP, etc. If that's not "combat", then what the hell is it? And I'm not trying to sound like some badass or anything. I know there's plenty of Marines who've seen a lot more **** than I have, but what I went through rates more than just an OIF campaign medal. Even POGs and fobbits get that.



You're comparing Kandahar Airfield to my COP in Karma? Those POGS only see or hear mortars and RPGs impacting hundreds of meters away from them on the peripheries of the FOB. I had shrapnel and bullets flying over my head. Was it Iwo Jima? Hell no. But it sure as hell wasn't Kandahar Airfield.

Anyway, I don't want to get into an argument with anyone. I'm pretty much over it by now anyway. The only reason I'm even posting right now is because I got an email for by birthday.

The main point - which, ironically, you brought up - is that, yes, I got my OIF campaign medal, but so do the same pogs and fobbits you just mentioned. If I don't rate a CAR, then shouldn't I at least rate something that sets me apart from Marines who never left the wire and were never in any real danger?

Whatever, I'm rambling now...Semper Fi.