ALCOAST 361/08
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COAST GUARD COMBAT ACTION RIBBON
A. MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL, COMDTINST M1650.25 (SERIES)
1. ON 16 JULY 2008, THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROVED THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COAST GUARD COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (CAR). THE
CAR WILL BE AWARDED TO MEMBERS OF THE COAST GUARD IN THE GRADE OF
CAPTAIN AND JUNIOR WHO HAVE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN GROUND OR
MARITIME COMBAT.
2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: THE CAR IS AN INDIVIDUAL SERVICE AWARD.
THE PRINCIPAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERION IS SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE
UNDER ENEMY FIRE WHILE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN A GROUND OR
MARITIME ENGAGEMENT. NEITHER SERVICE IN A COMBAT AREA NOR BEING
AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL OR A COMBAT AWARD/BADGE FROM ANOTHER
SERVICE AUTOMATICALLY MAKES A SERVICE MEMBER ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR.
THE FOLLOWING AMPLIFYING GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED:
 A. DIRECT EXPOSURE TO THE DETONATION OF AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE
DEVICE (IED) USED BY AN ENEMY, WITH OR WITHOUT THE IMMEDIATE
PRESENCE OF ENEMY FORCES, CONSTITUTES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN A
GROUND OR MARITIME ENGAGEMENT.
 B. PERSONNEL WHO SERVE IN CLANDESTINE OR SPECIAL OPERATIONS, WHO
BY THE NATURE OF THEIR MISSION, ARE RESTRICTED IN THEIR ABILITY TO
RETURN FIRE, AND WHO ARE OPERATING IN CONDITIONS WHERE THE RISK OF
ENEMY FIRE WAS GREAT AND EXPECTED TO BE ENCOUNTERED, MAY BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR.
 C. THE CAR WILL NOT BE AWARDED TO PERSONNEL FOR AERIAL COMBAT,
HOWEVER, A PILOT OR CREWMEMBER FORCED TO ESCAPE OR EVADE, AFTER
BEING FORCED DOWN, MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE AWARD.
 D. PERSONNEL WHO EARNED THE NAVY COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, ARMY COMBAT
INFANTRYMAN/MEDICAL BADGE, OR AIR FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL WHILE
ON DUTY WITH ANOTHER SERVICE OR AS A PRIOR SERVICE MEMBER, MAY BE
ELIGIBLE TO WEAR THE CAR. APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOLLOW IN
PARAGRAPH 3.A.
3. IMPLEMENTATION:
 A. INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EARNED THE NAVY COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, AIR
FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL OR ARMY COMBAT INFANTRY/MEDICAL/ACTION
BADGE FOR ACTIONS ON OR AFTER 1 MAY 1975, MUST REQUEST
AUTHORIZATION TO BE AWARDED THE CAR. REQUESTS WILL BE ROUTED
THROUGH THE MEMBERS COMMANDING OFFICER AND ADDRESSED TO COMMANDANT
(CG-1221). REQUESTS MUST INCLUDE A COPY OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR
THE ARMY/NAVY/AIR FORCE AWARD. REQUESTS WILL BE REVIEWED
INDIVIDUALLY AND RESPONSES WILL BE PROVIDED IN WRITING FOR UPDATE
IN THE MEMBERS SERVICE RECORD AS APPROPRIATE.
 B. EFFECTIVE 1 JANUARY 2009, NO AWARD OF THE NAVY COMBAT ACTION
RIBBON, AIR FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL, OR ARMY COMBAT
INFANTRY/MEDICAL/ACTION BADGE IS AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR ON THE COAST
GUARD UNIFORM, EVEN IF PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED BY WAIVER FROM CGHQ.
SERVICEMEMBERS MAY WEAR THE NEW RIBBON IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT OF
AUTHORIZATION FROM COMMANDANT (CG-1221).
 C. RETIRED/SEPARATED SERVICEMEMBERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO RETAIN
PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED ARMY/NAVY/AIR FORCE COMBAT SERVICE AWARDS.
 D. AWARDS OF THE NAVY COMBAT ACTION RIBBON FOR SERVICE PRIOR TO 1
MAY 1975 REMAIN AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR ON THE COAST GUARD UNIFORM AND
WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR CONVERSION TO THIS AWARD.
4. ELIGIBLE OPERATIONS: THE COMMANDANT DETERMINES WHICH OPERATIONS
MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THIS AWARD. CURRENTLY, THE AWARD IS
AUTHORIZED FOR OPERATIONS ALLIED FORCE (KOSOVO), DESERT STORM,
ENDURING FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM. THIS LISTING IS NOT ALL
INCLUSIVE, AS THE CAR MAY BE AWARDED IN MINOR OPERATIONS, AS WELL
AS FOR SPECIFIC ACTIONS.
5. ADMINISTRATIVE:
 A. ENLISTED MEMBERS AWARDED THE CAR WILL RECEIVE ONE AWARD POINT
TOWARD THEIR SERVICEWIDE EXAM. MEMBERS WHO PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED
CREDIT FOR A COMBAT SERVICE AWARD FROM THE NAVY, ARMY, OR AIR FORCE
WILL NOT RECEIVE ADDITIONAL CREDIT FOR CONVERSION TO THE CAR.
 B. SUBSEQUENT AWARDS. A 3/16-INCH BRONZE STAR WILL BE WORN TO
DENOTE SUBSEQUENT AWARDS. A 3/16-INCH SILVER STAR WILL BE WORN IN
LIEU OF FIVE BRONZE STARS. ONLY ONE AWARD PER OPERATION IS
AUTHORIZED.
 C. GUIDANCE AND CRITERIA FOR THIS AWARD WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE
NEXT CHANGE TO REF (A).
6. AWARD DESIGN AND AVAILABILITY: THE AWARD DESIGN ADDS A SMALL
WHITE BAND TO EITHER SIDE OF THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE BANDS IN THE
CENTER OF THE NAVY AWARD. A GRAPHIC OF THE NEW RIBBON IS AVAILABLE
AT THE MEDALS AND AWARDS WEBSITE, HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/MEDALS.
INITIALLY, THE RIBBON WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE FROM CGHQ AND WILL BE
PROVIDED WITH AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE AWARD. THE RIBBON WILL BE
AVAILABLE COMMERCIALLY IN ADVANCE OF THE 1 JANUARY 2009 FINAL
IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR PERSONNEL WHO HAVE THEIR RIBBONS
PROFESSIONALLY MOUNTED.
7. DIRECT QUESTIONS TO MR. GABLE AT (202) 475-5385, CWO HUGHES AT
(202) 475-5384 OR MS. DAY AT (202) 475-5386.
8. RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.