Adjutant General's program yields first Combat Action Badge

By: John Quin
Missouri National Guard Public Affairs

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Almost six years after being ambushed in the streets of Sadr City, a Missouri National Guard Soldier was presented with a Combat Action Badge as part of a program by Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner, adjutant general of the Missouri Guard.

Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner was on hand as Lt. Col. Sharon Martin pinned the badge to the uniform of 1st Lt. Amanda Self on Friday during a ceremony at the Ike Skelton Training Site.

"Commanders have to look after their troops," Danner said. "Soldiers and Airmen alike deserve all the awards and ribbons they've earned, and they deserve to receive them in a timely manner."

The Combat Action Badge is awarded to Soldiers who actively engaged or were engaged by the enemy since Sept. 18, 2001. Although many Missouri Guardsmen had previously gotten the badges, dozens, if not hundreds, of their peers have not, Danner said. Since becoming adjutant general, he has made fixing that a top priority.

"Working awards for Soldiers cannot be on the backburner," Danner said. "If a commander isn't making sure his troops are getting the awards they deserve, then it makes me wonder what else they aren't doing for their troops."

On Sept. 25, 2003, then-Spc. Self and fellow Soldiers from the 2175th Military Police Company were on a joint hostage rescue mission with special police from Baghdad's major crime unit. As the four Humvees and two Iraqi police cars rolled through the narrow streets of what is now known as Sadr City, they were ambushed from all sides. Despite rounds hitting within 2 to 5 meters of their vehicles, the Guardsmen exercised remarkable restraint by not firing back.

"There were civilians in the streets and we wanted to avoid any civilian casualties," wrote Sgt. Joyce Johnson after the incident.

Since the 2175th returned in August 2004, Self, 25, has continued to serve in the Missouri Guard. After being commissioned as an officer, Self deployed to Kosovo with the 3175th Military Police Company. She is scheduled to deploy again - this time to Afghanistan - with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment of the 205th Military Police Battalion.

"Receiving the Combat Action Badge is an honor, but it's not just about me," Self said. "It's about all the other Soldiers out there with packets waiting to be approved."

Combat Action Badges are only the first step, said Danner, an Iraq veteran.

"In addition to ensuring our Soldiers and Airmen receive the awards they've earned overseas, we're looking into establishing many more state awards," Danner said. "We're going to continue to do this."

The state awards would mirror federal awards, said Lt. Col. Michael Fayette, director of policy and strategic initiatives for the Missouri National Guard. While the program is ongoing, many of these awards would be established for Missouri-specific missions, including state emergencies.

"As the commander-in-chief, Gov. Jay Nixon is keenly interested and aware of his Missouri National Guard," Fayette said. "We are extremely fortunate to have a governor who invests time and resources into our organization as much as he does."

They also represent a push on the part of the adjutant general to make sure commanders are ensuring their Soldiers are getting the honors they've earned. Awards including the Combat Action Badge can be important in a Soldier's career.

"There are promotion points available to Soldiers based on number and type of awards that help that Soldier compete for merit advancement," Fayette said. "The more points they earn, the higher on the Order of Merit List, and the greater opportunity for advancement."

There is no specific point where a Guardsman can no longer submit a report for the badge, said 2nd Lt. Frank Denton, who has been processing the awards. If a Guardsman was in combat and thinks he, she or a comrade may be eligible for the award, there's no time limit on submissions.

"Soldiers can still put in a sworn statement," Denton said.

But the requests should not be limited to Combat Action Badges, Fayette said. If any Guardsmen believe they or a comrade are eligible for an award or badge that he has not received, there is now a process in place to get the ball rolling.

"Soldiers and Airmen are encouraged to use their chain of command first," Fayette said. "As Brigadier General Danner's intent filters down, more and more commanders and senior noncommissioned officers will be cognizant of the adjutant general's desire to ensure Soldiers and Airmen are better cared for in this regard."

Anyone with questions about awards may contact 2nd Lt. Frank Denton at 573-638-9500, ext. 7978.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-888-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com