Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 11/5/2009

Question
MR.Howell
I'm stationed in Germany active duty in the Army for two years now. I earned a CAR with 2nd Batt/ 7th Marines in DESERT STORM 1990-1991. Is this equivalent to the Army's CIB ? Also am I authorized to wear the CIB on my class A uniform. My MOS was 0311
INFANTRYMAN ! Please help me thank you sir.
SGT SOTELLO, ERIC D.
E CO. 3-159TH ARB
PETROLEUM SUPPLY SPECIALIST
SQUAD LEADER

Answer
Eric,
Here's a direct quote from the regs:
CAR - Instituted on 17 February 1969.

Criteria:  Awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard for combat action surface, it is a personal military decoration. Qualifying personnel must have been in a ground or surface combat fire-fight, or action during which they were under enemy fire, and that their performance under fire must have been satisfactory.  Awarded to personnel in the grade colonel and below who have actively participated in ground or surface combat.  It is for service in combat from 7 December 1941 to date.  Gold and silver star attachments are applied to the ribbon to denote additional awards.

The Combat Infantryman Badge was initially referred to as the Combat Assault Badge however, the name was changed to the Combat Infantryman Badge.  Stars are added to the Combat Infantryman Badge to indicate award of the badge in separate wars.  Under this change in policy, the badge is no longer limited to a one-time award, but may now be awarded to eligible individuals for each war in which they participated and earned a CIB.

Army Combat Action Badge may be awarded to any soldier performing assigned duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is authorized; must have engaged the enemy; and must not be assigned/attached to a unit that would qualify the soldier for the CIB/CMB.  Award of the CAB is authorized from 18 September 2001 to a date to be determined.  Retroactive awards for the CAB are not authorized.  Second and third awards of the CAB for subsequent qualifying periods are indicated by superimposing one and two stars respectively, centered at the top of the badge between the points of the oak wreath.

In short, the CAR is not equivalent to the Army's CIB, it is equivalent to the Army Combat Action Badge.  So you CAN wear the CAR even though it's from another Service, or you can convert it to an Army CAB.  You can wear either one but not both.  Once you earn an Army CIB you can wear it and your CAR or CAB.
Thanks for your service.
Colonel H