Combat Action Ribbon

Eligibility criteria

To be considered for a Combat Action Ribbon award evidence must confirm the member engaged the enemy and was under hostile fire. An individual's presence only in a combat area or zone does NOT qualify the member for a combat action award.

The Combat Action Ribbon is an individual award, it is not awarded to a military unit, station, or group. The CAR is a ribbon-only award, there is no medal. Compare: The U.S. Army equivalents to the Combat Action Ribbon are the Combat Action Badge ("CAB"), Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Combat Medical Badge. A U.S. Air Force combat participant is awarded the Air Force Combat Action Medal (AFCAM).

Private Vendor Distinction: Some private vendor catalogs advertise for sale a commemorative combat action medal, combat tribute, or combat certificate. Some medallions are stylized from elements of various military combat action awards. Such medallions are considered merely decorative, have no military significance or recognition, and are not authorized for wear by an active duty member, on the uniform or otherwise.

The Combat Action Ribbon is worn in order of precedence on a member's "ribbon rack" displayed on the left side of a member's uniform. Only one Combat Action Ribbon is authorized. Additional combat action awards are signified with appropriate star award device attached to the member's Combat Action Ribbon (e.g. a small bronze colored star to signify an additional CAR award).

The Combat Action Ribbon is currently authorized in two distinct designs: the U.S. Navy version, and that awarded by the U.S. Coast Guard:

U.S. Navy and Marine Corps

Eligibility for members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and up to 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard. The Navy version covers the Navy and Marine Corps from when the CAR was established in 1969, and made retroactive from December 7, 1941 forward. Prior to year 2008 U.S. Coast Guard members who were awarded the Combat Action Ribbon received the Navy CAR, this because in most conflicts and wars Coast Guard members eligible for the CAR operated with or under the U.S. Navy. Year 2009 forward Coast Guard members who perform in combat are awarded the Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon.

U.S. Coast Guard

In 2009 the U.S. Coast Guard began awarding a Coast Guard designed Combat Action Ribbon. The ribbon looks similar in design to the Navy Combat Action Ribbon. Prior to 2008 Coast Guard members earning a Combat Action Ribbon received the U.S. Navy CAR because in times of conflict and war the Coast Guard in combat areas typically operated with or under the U.S. Navy. For example, in the Vietnam War's Operation Market Time the U.S. Coast Guard had at any one time approximately 1,200 Coast Guard members participating in Operation Market Time. Those Coast Guard members in Vietnam who engaged in combat were awarded the U.S. Navy Combat Action Ribbon by the Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Vietnam.

With its own Combat Action Ribbon, USCG members will now receive the Coast Guard CAR regardless if a member is operating in conjunction with or under the control of the U.S. Navy. Those USCG members awarded the U.S. Navy CAR prior to 2009 are authorized to continue wearing the Navy award despite the availability of the Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon.

Navy Combat Action Ribbon

The Navy Combat Action Ribbon ("CAR") was established during the Vietnam War by a Secretary of the Navy Notice, dated February 17, 1969 with retroactive award to March 1, 1961. The CAR (Navy/Marine Corps version) is awarded to members of the Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) personnel with the grade of captain/colonel and below, who have actively participated in ground or surface combat.

Sailors and Marines in clandestine or special operations where their ability to return fire is curtailed may be deemed eligible. Personnel who earn the Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge, or Combat Action Medal while assigned to United States Army or United States Air Force units, or who earned such for prior service in said service branch's may be authorized to wear the Combat Action Ribbon upon application to the Department of the Navy.

In Jan 2013 the awarding criteria was expanded to include dangerous exposure to IEDs, mines, and scatterable munitions, be it the detonation of such or direct action taken to disable, render safe, or destroy such, can be deemed eligible if detonated or specifically emplaced by the enemy. Previously it applied only to exposure to IEDs detonated by the enemy. Eligibility under this criterion is retroactive only to 7 October 2001.

Blanket lists of units and operations whose members or participants are deemed to be "in-combat", and thus potentially eligible, can be found in OPNAVNOTE 1650 (for specific units & ships) & in chapter 2, appendix E of recent SECNAVINST's (for specific operations & ships) though "Neither service in a combat area nor being awarded the Purple Heart Medal automatically makes a service member eligible" and specific sailors and marines may receive the ribbon in recognition of individual actions or various minor operations.

Additional awards of the CAR (Navy/Marine Corps version) are denoted by  ⁵⁄₁₆ inch gold/silver stars on the ribbon.

In October 1999, World War II and Korean War veterans became retroactively eligible for the Navy Combat Action Ribbon by Public Law 106-65 on Oct. 5, 1999, which permitted the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) to award the Combat Action Ribbon to a member of the Navy or Marine Corps for participation in ground or surface combat during any period on or after December 7, 1941, and or before March 1, 1961, if the Secretary determines that the member has not been previously recognized in an appropriate manner for such participation. Two specific blocks of time were later designated by then SECNAV Danzig: Dec. 7, 1941—Apr. 14, 1946 (World War II) & June 25, 1950—July 27, 1954 (Korean War)

Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard veterans are advised to submit eligibility requests etc. to each of their respective branches in regard to the Navy Combat Action Ribbon or additional awards of this award.

Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon

The Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon (CGCAR) was established by the approval of the Secretary of Homeland Security on July 16, 2008 in ALCOAST 361/08. The Coast Guard version of the CAR is awarded to members of the Coast Guard who have actively participated in a ground or maritime engagement. Satisfactory performance under fire with the enemy is required.

Criteria for the CGCAR 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.

The Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon is authorized for:

Other minor operations and specific actions are authorized the ribbon as determined by the Commandant of the Coast Guard. Only one award per operation is authorized.

Initially, all other similar military awards from other 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 effective January 1, 2009 to allow wearing the Navy Combat Action Ribbon, Air Force Combat Action Medal, and Army Combat Infantry/Medical/Action Badge for service prior to May 1, 1975 and cannot be converted to the Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon.

Additional awards of the Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon are denoted by  ⁵⁄₁₆ inch gold/silver stars on the ribbon.

Stolen Valor Act

The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 makes it a federal crime for an individual who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, fraudulently holds himself or herself out to be a recipient of the Medal of Honor and decorations, medals, and badges listed in the law, including the Combat Action Ribbon (the act defines CAR as a "combat badge"). The act also includes the CAR for any other violation concerning all military decorations, medals, or badges which is subject to a heightened penalty of "a fine, imprisonment of up to one year, or both" (except when authorized under regulation made pursuant to law).