US Army to Introduce New Master Combat Badge to Solve Uniform Problem

If you’re a soldier with the US Army who’s served in combat and mastered your job skills, we have good news for you. The service announced a new Master Combat Badge that’ll solve a common uniform issue for troops who’ve earned the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB).

Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahue presenting the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) to a captain, 2013. (Photo Credit: Barbara Romano / 7th Army Training Command / DVIDS / Public Domain)

The Master Combat Badge was announced by Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer on October 15, 2024, during a panel at the Association of the US Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition. He shared that the badge will signify that a soldier has received both a combat award (CIB) and an expert badge (EIB) for their military occupational specialty (MOS).

An equivalent one was also announced for medics who hold the Expert Field Medical and Combat Medical devices, as was one for those who’ve earned the Expert Soldier and Combat Action awards.

Sgt. Maj. Eric Bassile, of the Army’s Policy Integrated Division, said the idea behind the Master Combat Badge was to create “a single badge that represents a Soldier’s sacrifice, hard work, and mastery of skills within their career management field.”

Combat Infantry Badge. (Photo Credits: Matt McClain / The Washington Post / Getty Images)

The CIB is awarded to soldiers in the Special Forces or Infantry who’ve served in direct action against an enemy force, while the EIB is awarded to the same troops who’ve passed a sequence of tests on infantry skills.

Previously, badges awarded for combat experience and expert skills were worn in the same place on uniforms and looked similar. This meant soldiers had to choose which one to wear at the top of their award ribbons. While they’ve earned both, the policy that is currently in place doesn’t authorize them to wear both.

With the Master Combat Badge, they’ll no longer have to choose.

“I’ll be honest with you, not all CIBs are equal,” Weimer explained at the conference. “It’s just a true statement. They’re not equal. But all EIBs are equal, aren’t they? And I’m here to tell you the failure rate on the EIB is pretty high because it’s hard to get. That’s why it’s called ‘expert. And so, the Master Combat Badge will actually identify that you have both.”

82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers receiving combat medic badges while deployed to the Middle East, 2024. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Catessa Palone / 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade / DVIDS / Public Domain)

The Master Combat Badge will be similar to existing combat badges, but with a gold wreath of laurel, instead of silver. The symbol will be added to the three current job insignias on expert badges.

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A new Mariners and Mountaineering Badge was also approved by the Army. The policy upon which soldiers will be eligible is slated to be released soon.

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US Army to Introduce New Master Combat Badge to Solve Uniform Problem
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