I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4369

To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the 

Army to establish a combat service recognition ribbon, similar to the 

Navy Combat Action Ribbon, to recognize participation in combat by 

members of the Army, regardless of branch. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 13, 2004

Mr. SHIMKUS (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. HUNTER, and 

Mr. SKELTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Army to establish a combat service recognition ribbon, similar to the Navy Combat Action Ribbon, 

to recognize participation in combat by members of the 

Army, regardless of branch.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Army Combat Recogni5 tion Act of 2004’’. 
2

•HR 4369 IH 

1 SEC. 2. ARMY COMBAT RECOGNITION RIBBON. 

2 (a) REQUIREMENT SIMILAR TO THAT FOR NAVY

3 COMBAT ACTION RIBBON.—(1) Chapter 357 of title 10, 

4 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

5 following new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 3757. Combat recognition ribbon 

7 ‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of the Army 

8 shall establish a combat recognition ribbon to recognize 

9 participation by members of the Army in combat. The Sec10 retary shall award the combat recognition ribbon to each 

11 member of the Army who meets the criteria for that rib12 bon based upon service performed after August 1, 1990. 

13 ‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR AWARD.—The Secretary shall es14 tablish the criteria for award of the combat recognition 

15 ribbon. To the maximum extent practicable, the criteria 

16 for the award of such ribbon shall be based upon, and 

17 be similar to, the criteria for award of the Navy Combat 

18 Action Ribbon, including any special criteria for service 

19 during a particular period of time or in a specific location. 

20 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—The combat recognition ribbon 

21 may not be awarded to a member of the Army with respect 

22 to the same period of service as service for which the mem23 ber was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge or the 

24 Combat Medic Badge.’’. 
3

•HR 4369 IH 

1 (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such 

2 chapter is amended by adding at the end the following 

3 new item:

‘‘3757. Combat recognition ribbon.’’.

4 (b) IMPLEMENTATION FOR SERVICE BEFORE DATE

5 OF ENACTMENT.—The Secretary of the Army shall estab6 lish procedures to provide for the implementation of sec7 tion 3757 of title 10, United States Code, as added by 

8 subsection (a), with respect to service during the period 

9 beginning on August 1, 1990, and ending on the date of 

10 the enactment of this Act. Such procedures shall include 

11 a requirement for submission of an application for award 

12 of a ribbon under that section with respect to service be13 fore the date of the enactment of this Act and the fur14 nishing of such information as the Secretary may specify. 

15 Such procedures shall be established not later than 180 

16 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Æ
2 

•HR 4369 IH 

1 SEC. 2. ARMY COMBAT RECOGNITION RIBBON. 

2 (a) REQUIREMENT SIMILAR TO THAT FOR NAVY

3 COMBAT ACTION RIBBBON.—(1) Chapter 357 of title 10, 

4 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

5 following new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 3757. Combat recognition ribbon 

7 ‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of the Army 

8 shall establish a combat recognition ribbon to recognize 

9 participation by members of the Army in combat. The Sec10 retary shall award the combat recognition ribbon to each 

11 member of the Army who meets the criteria for that rib12 bon based upon service performed after August 1, 1990. 

13 ‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR AWARD.—The Secretary shall es14 tablish the criteria for award of the combat recognition 

15 ribbon. To the maximum extent practicable, the criteria 

16 for the award of such ribbon shall be based upon, and 

17 be similar to, the criteria for award of the Navy Combat 

18 Action Ribbon, including any special criteria for service 

19 during a particular period of time or in a specific location. 

20 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—The combat recognition ribbon 

21 may not be awarded to a member of the Army with respect 

22 to the same period of service as service for which the mem23 ber was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge or the 

24 Combat Medic Badge.’’. 
3 

•HR 4369 IH 

1 (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such 

2 chapter is amended by adding at the end the following 

3 new item: 

‘‘3757. Combat recognition ribbon.’’. 

4 (b) IMPLEMENTATION FOR SERVICE BEFORE DATE

5 OF ENACTMENT.—The Secretary of the Army shall estab6 lish procedures to provide for the implementation of sec7 tion 3757 of title 10, United States Code, as added by 

8 subsection (a), with respect to service during the period 

9 beginning on August 1, 1990, and ending on the date of 

10 the enactment of this Act. Such procedures shall include 

11 a requirement for submission of an application for award 

12 of a ribbon under that section with respect to service be13 fore the date of the enactment of this Act and the fur14 nishing of such information as the Secretary may specify. 

15 Such procedures shall be established not later than 180 

16 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ