Air Force Combat Action Medal

[CFergusn]

091257Z APR 07

FROM: HQ AFPC RANDOLPH AFB TX//DPPP//

TO: AL ALPERSCOM

INFO: AL 8106
HQ AFPC RANDOLPH AFB TX//DPPPRA//

SUBJECT: AIR FORCE COMBAT RECOGNITION

THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF THE AIR FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL AND RIBBON, AND IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE PARTS:

PART I: AWARD POLICY
PART II: WEAR CRITERIA
PART III: AWARD CRITERIA - GROUND
PART IV: AWARD CRITERIA - AIR
PART V: APPROVAL AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURES

PART I: AWARD POLICY

1. ON 15 MARCH 2007 THE SECAF APPROVED ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AIR FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL (AFCAM) TO RECOGNIZE ANY MILITARY MEMBER OF THE AIR FORCE (AIRMAN BASIC THRU COLONEL) WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN COMBAT (GROUND OR AIR). THE PRINCIPAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERION IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL MUST HAVE BEEN UNDER DIRECT AND HOSTILE FIRE WHILE OPERATING IN UNSECURED SPACE (OUTSIDE A DEFENDED PERIMETER) OR PHYSICALLY ENGAGING HOSTILE FORCES WITH DIRECT AND LETHAL FIRE.

2. COMBAT CONDITIONS DEFINED: FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS AWARD, COMBAT CONDITIONS ARE MET WHEN: 1) INDIVIDUALS DELIBERATELY GO OUTSIDE THE DEFENDED PERIMETER TO CONDUCT OFFICIAL DUTIES-EITHER GROUND OR AIR; AND 2) THEY COME UNDER ENEMY ATTACK BY LETHAL WEAPONS WHILE PERFORMING THOSE DUTIES; AND 3) ARE AT RISK OF GRAVE DANGER. OR 1) INDIVIDUALS DEFENDING THE BASE (ON THE DEFENDED PERIMETER); AND 2) COME UNDER FIRE AND ENGAGE THE ENEMY WITH DIRECT AND LETHAL FIRE; AND 3) ARE AT RISK OF GRAVE DANGER, ALSO MEET THE INTENT OF COMBAT CONDITIONS FOR THIS AWARD. ADDITIONALLY, PERSONNEL IN GROUND OPERATIONS WHO ACTIVELY ENGAGE THE ENEMY WITH DIRECT AND LETHAL FIRE MAY QUALIFY EVEN IF NO DIRECT FIRE IS TAKEN AS LONG AS THERE WAS RISK OF GRAVE DANGER AND OTHER CRITERIA ARE MET. CENTRAL TO THE INTEGRITY OF THIS COMBAT RECOGNITION IS THE ADHERENCE TO THESE COMBAT CONDITION PREREQUISITES.

3. THIS AWARD CONSISTS OF A MEDAL AND A RIBBON.

4. THE COMMANDER, AIR FORCE FORCES (COMAFFOR) IS THE AWARD AUTHORITY FOR THE AIR FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL (AFCAM). THE AWARD CRITERIA FOR THE AFCAM IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF OTHER US SERVICES BUT IS MORE SPECIFIC WITH REGARD TO COMBAT CONDITIONS CRITERIA. PERSONNEL WHO EARNED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, COMBAT ACTION BADGE, COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE OR COMBAT ACTION RIBBON WHILE ASSIGNED WITH THE U.S. ARMY, U.S. NAVY OR U.S. MARINE CORPS MAY SUBMIT A COPY OF THAT AWARD, ALONG WITH OTHER DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED IN THIS MESSAGE, TO THE COMAFFOR FOR CONSIDERATION FOR AWARD OF THE AFCAM. THE AFCAM MAY BE AWARDED TO MEMBERS FROM THE OTHER U.S. ARMED FORCES AND FOREIGN SOLDIERS SERVING IN A U.S. AIR FORCE UNIT, PROVIDED THEY MEET THE AWARD CRITERIA.

5. THE AFCAM MAY BE AWARDED FOR QUALIFYING SERVICE FROM 11 SEPTEMBER 2001 TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED. RETROACTIVE AWARDS PRIOR TO 11 SEPTEMBER 2001 ARE NOT AUTHORIZED. THE APPLICATION PROCESS, FOR SERVICE ON OR AFTER 11 SEPTEMBER 2001, IS EXPLAINED IN PART V.

6. THERE IS NO MINIMUM TIME-IN-THEATER REQUIREMENT TO QUALIFY FOR THE AFCAM. ONLY ONE AFCAM MAY BE AWARDED DURING A QUALIFYING PERIOD. SUBSEQUENT QUALIFYING PERIODS WILL BE DETERMINED BY SECAF. ONLY ONE AWARD PER OPERATION IS AUTHORIZED. OIF/OEF IS CONSIDERED ONE OPERATION. SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS WILL BE APPROVED BY THE CSAF AND WILL BE INDICATED BY USE OF GOLD STARS ON THE RIBBON.

7. REQUESTS FOR EXCEPTIONS TO POLICY ESTABLISHED HERE OR IN FUTURE INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE JUSTIFIED AND FORWARDED THROUGH COMMAND CHANNELS. HOME STATIONS WILL ROUTE REQUESTS THROUGH MAJCOM/CC TO THE COMAFFOR TO AF/CV. AF/CV HAS BEEN DESIGNATED DECISIONAL AUTHORITY BY SECAF FOR ALL AFCAM EXCEPTION TO POLICY REQUESTS. IN-THEATER REQUESTS FOR EXCEPTION WILL ROUTE THROUGH COMAFFOR TO AF/CV.

PART II: WEAR CRITERIA

1. THE AFCAM IS AWARDED AS A MEDAL AND RIBBON ONLY AND IS WORN ACCORDING TO CURRENT MEDAL AND RIBBON INSTRUCTIONS. THERE WILL BE NO PATCH OR BADGE EQUIVALENT FOR WEAR ON THE ABU, BDU AND OTHER FUNCTIONAL UNIFORMS THAT ARE WORN FOR DAILY DUTIES AND DEPLOYMENTS. FURTHER GUIDANCE WILL BE ADDED TO AFI 36-2803.

2. THE AFCAM SHALL BE WORN DIRECTLY AFTER THE AIR FORCE ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL (AFAM) AND BEFORE THE AIR FORCE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (AFPUC).

PART III: AWARD CRITERIA - GROUND

1. INDIVIDUAL MUST BE IN COMBAT AS DEFINED IN PART I. COMBAT MUST TAKE PLACE IN A COMBAT ZONE DEFINED AS A GEOGRAPHIC AREA DESIGNATED BY THE PRESIDENT VIA EXECUTIVE ORDER, OR A QUALIFIED HAZARDOUS DUTY AREA IN WHICH A MEMBER IS RECEIVING IMMINENT DANGER PAY OR HOSTILE FIRE PAY (IDP/HFP). INDIVIDUAL MUST BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT, AT RISK OF GRAVE DANGER, AND PERFORMING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESCRIBED RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.

2. PERSONNEL OUTSIDE THE DEFENDED PERIMETER MUST BE FIRED UPON BY THE ENEMY WITH LETHAL WEAPONS; RETURNING FIRE IS SITUATION DEPENDENT AND NOT NECESSARILY A PRECONDITION OF AWARD. RISK OF GRAVE DANGER TO THE INDIVIDUAL MUST BE DETAILED IN THE AWARD SUBMISSION.

3. ENCAMPMENTS, COMPOUNDS, AND PROTECTED AREAS (INSIDE THE DEFENDED PERIMETER) WILL NORMALLY NOT QUALIFY AS VENUES FOR THIS AWARD UNLESS THE INDIVIDUAL IS SERVING IN A DEFENSIVE CAPACITY, TAKING FIRE, AND ENGAGING THE ENEMY. AUGMENTING A DEFENSIVE FIGHTING POSITION AND TAKING FIRE, REGARDLESS OF OFFICIAL DUTIES, WOULD ALSO QUALIFY AS COMBAT ACTION IF ALL OTHER CRITERIA WERE MET. RECEIVING MORTARS, RESPONDING TO ALARM CONDITIONS, REPORTING TO BUNKERS, DO NOT INDEPENDENTLY CONSTITUTE COMBAT ACTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD. HOWEVER, SHOULD COMBAT CONDITIONS ARISE OUT OF SUCH EVENTS THEN EXCEPTIONS TO POLICY WITH FULL JUSTIFICATION CAN BE SUBMITTED.

4. PERSONNEL ELIGIBLE FOR THE AWARD OF THE PURPLE HEART DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR THE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL. PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS MUST APPLY FOR THE AFCAM THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE AWARD CHANNELS.

PART IV: AWARD CRITERIA - AIR

1. INDIVIDUAL MUST BE FLYING AS AUTHORIZED AIRCREW MEMBERS ON AERONAUTICAL ORDERS IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF A COMBAT ZONE AND IN COMBAT AS DEFINED IN PART I. COMBAT MUST TAKE PLACE IN A COMBAT ZONE DEFINED AS A GEOGRAPHIC AREA DESIGNATED BY THE PRESIDENT VIA EXECUTIVE ORDER, OR A QUALIFIED HAZARDOUS DUTY AREA IN WHICH A MEMBER IS RECEIVING IMMINENT DANGER PAY OR HOSTILE FIRE PAY (IDP/HFP). INDIVIDUAL MUST BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT, AT RISK OF GRAVE DANGER, AND PERFORMING SATISFACTORILY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESCRIBED RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.

2. INDIVIDUAL MUST BE PERFORMING ASSIGNED DUTIES. TRAVELING PASSENGERS, INCLUDING AIRCREW MANIFESTED AS PASSENGERS, ON AN AIRCRAFT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE BASED SOLELY ON THEIR PRESENCE IF THE AIRCRAFT WERE TO COME UNDER FIRE.

3. OFFENSIVE AIR OPERATIONS MAY QUALIFY IF THEY ARE ENGAGING HOSTILE FORCES WITH DIRECT AND LETHAL FIRE. TAKING FIRE FROM THE ENEMY IS NOT A PREREQUISITE AS LONG AS THE INDIVIDUAL IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT AND THE RISK OF GRAVE DANGER IS IMMINENT.

PART V: APPROVAL AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURES

1. NATIONAL SECURITY AND INFORMATION PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS TAKE PRIORITY. SUBMISSIONS MUST NOT INCLUDE ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD COMPROMISE ONGOING MILITARY OPERATIONS. AFCAM SUBMISSION PROCEDURES INVOLVING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT.

2. THE COMAFFOR IS THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR ALL AWARDS THAT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS IDENTIFIED IN THIS MESSAGE AND SUBSEQUENT INSTRUCTIONS. THE COMAFFOR MAY ONLY DELEGATE THIS AUTHORITY TO AN USAF OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THE COMAFFOR STAFF IN THE RANK OF BRIGADIER GENERAL OR HIGHER.

3. THE AFCAM WILL BE AWARDED AND ANNOUNCED VIA COMAFFOR APPROVAL MEMO. APPROVED EXCEPTIONS WILL BE FORWARDED BACK TO COMAFFOR FOR MEMO PREPARATION. IN ALL CASES, APPROVAL MEMOS MAY BE ISSUED EN MASSE WITH SSNS SANITIZED PRIOR TO DISTRIBUTION.

4. SUBMISSIONS FOR RECENT/CURRENT COMBAT ACTION: AS A MINIMUM, AN AWARD SUBMISSION MUST INCLUDE A NARRATIVE EXPLANATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES (AF FORM 3994, DATE, TIME, LOCATION, EVENT DESCRIPTION, INDIVIDUALS PRESENT, ETC. LIMITED TO TWO PAGES), PROVIDED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WITNESSED OR PARTICIPATED IN THE INCIDENT. THE AWARD PACKAGE IS SUBMITTED TO THE COMMANDER, WHO THEN SUBMITS TO THE FIRST COLONEL IN THE OPERATIONAL CHAIN. USCENTAF WILL START ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS EFFECTIVE UPON RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE. SUBMISSIONS WILL BE BOARDED AS DETERMINED BY COMAFFOR.

5. APPEALS: BOTH THE COMMANDER AND FIRST COLONEL IN THE OPERATIONAL CHAIN MAY RETURN A SUBMISSION AS "NOT SUPPORTED". INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO APPEAL MUST DO SO THROUGH THE OFFICER WHO DID NOT SUPPORT THE INITIAL APPLICATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION. ALL APPEALS WILL BE LABELED AS SUCH. IF THEN APPROVED FOR SUBMISSION THE APPLICATION WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE COMAFFOR FOR A FINAL DECISION.

6. SUBMISSIONS FOR COMBAT ACTION DATING BACK TO 11 SEPTEMBER 2001: INDIVIDUALS MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS DETAILED IN THIS MESSAGE. CONTINGENCY EXERCISE DEPLOYMENT ORDERS, TRAVEL VOUCHERS OR TAX STATEMENTS CAN BE USED TO PROVE DEPLOYMENT AND RECEIPT OF IDP/HFP. THE NARRATIVE EXPLANATION CAN BE TAKEN FROM A DECORATION OR LETTER OF EVALUATION, COPIES OF WHICH MUST BE INCLUDED IF REFERENCED. IF POSSIBLE, A NARRATIVE DETAILING THE EVENT, PREFERABLY ENDORSED BY INDIVIDUAL'S CURRENT WING COMMANDER, WHICH ATTESTS TO THE VERACITY OF THE CONTENT (POSSIBLY ATTAINED BY COORDINATION WITH A SENIOR LEADER WHO WAS IN A POSITION TO KNOW OF THE EVENT) SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. SUBMISSIONS FOR AWARDS DATING BACK NO FURTHER THAN 11 SEPTEMBER 2001 MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE COMAFFOR NLT ONE YEAR FROM THE RELEASE OF THIS MESSAGE. FOR INDIVIDUALS DISCHARGED FROM THE SERVICE (INCLUDING GUARD AND RESERVE), AFCAM SUBMISSIONS WILL BE SENT THROUGH THE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS (AFBCMR). THIS WILL APPLY TO POSTHUMOUS SUBMISSIONS AS WELL.

7. AWARD SUBMISSIONS FOR EVENTS OCCURRING BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 AND THE DATE OF THIS MESSAGE MUST BE SUBMITTED WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THIS MESSAGE. AWARD SUBMISSIONS FOR CIRCUMSTANCES/ACTIONS FROM THE DATE OF THIS MESSAGE FORWARD MUST BE SUBMITTED WITHIN TWO YEARS OF OCCURRENCE, IAW AFI 36-2803.

8. THE AWARD OF THE AFCAM DOES NOT PREVENT AWARD OF OTHER TYPES OF PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION (DECORATIONS) NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH COMBAT. THE AFCAM MAY BE AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY. THERE ARE NO PROMOTION POINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AWARD. AFCAM CRITERIA APPLIES IDENTICALLY TO ACTIVE, RESERVE AND GUARD PERSONNEL. SINCE THE AFCAM IS AN AWARD WITH NO ASSOCIATED PROMOTION POINTS, IT IS NOT FILED IN THE OFFICERS SERVICE RECORD OR SENIOR NCO FOLDER, NOR WILL IT SHOW ON THE SELECTION BRIEFS. SINCE THE AFCAM IS A BOARD PROCESS, WE SHOULD DRAW A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN AN AWARD FOR COMBAT RECOGNITION FOR AN EVENT WHICH MAY FURTHER SUPPORT AWARD OF A DECORATION (PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION) FOR VALOROUS SERVICE IN A COMBAT ZONE.

9. DISPOSITION OF COMAFFOR APPROVAL MEMO: THE MEMO WILL BE FILED IN THE INDIVIDUAL'S UNIT PERSONNEL RECORD GROUP (UPRG). INDIVIDUALS ARE ADVISED TO KEEP A COPY OF THE MEMO AND AFCAM CITATION CERTIFICATE ALONG WITH OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONNEL DOCUMENTS SUPPORTING THE AWARD OF THE AFCAM IN A PERSONAL FILE.

10. AFCAM MEDALS AND CERTIFICATES WILL BE AVAILABLE BY LATE MAY/EARLY JUN 2007. USE MILPDS CODE "CB" FOR SYSTEM UPDATE.

11. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ADDRESS QUESTIONS/COMMENTS TO THE AIR FORCE CONTACT CENTER AT DSN 665-5000 OR TOLL FREE AT 1-800-616-3775.


//SIGNED//
CHIEF, PROMOTION, EVALUATION, AND RECOGNITION DIVISION
DIRECTORATE OF PERSONNEL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT