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1 October 2005
The Defence Instruction (Army) listed below is issued by my command pursuant to section 9A of the Defence Act 1903.
P.F. LEAHY
Lieutenant General
Chief of Army
INTRODUCTION1
1.The Army Combat Badge (ACB) is awarded to any member of the Australian Regular Army (ARA), Army High Readiness or Active Reserve on continuous full-time service (CFTS) or other Reserve member in exceptional circumstances, for service in warlike operations or situations. This award does not replace the Infantry Combat Badge (ICB).
PURPOSE2
2.The purpose of the ACB is to recognise any member of the ARA or Army Reserve who was force assigned to a combat team or battle group who participated in warfighting against an armed enemy on warlike operations. In exceptional circumstances, engagement in warfighting whilst serving in other than warlike activities, such as peacekeeping operations, may be recognised with the award of the
ACB.
AIM3
3.The aim of this instruction is to detail the policy and procedures applicable for awarding of the
ACB.
INTENT4
4.The ACB is awarded to individuals who are posted as a member of a Combat Team or Battle Group who engage in combat operations in an active theatre of operations.
DEFINITIONS5
5.Exceptional circumstance is a situation in which a member has been involved in direct combat with an adversary in an operation that would not normally attract the award of the
ACB.
6.Member in this instruction means any member of any corps of the ARA, High Readiness or Active Reserve who were on CFTS at the time of deployment.
7.Operations are defined as service in an operational area. The ACB will not be granted for deployments where the Australian Service Medal is awarded, except in exceptional circumstances.
8.Warfighting is the intended application of lethal force in a combat situation, at the individual or group level, against a recognisable enemy for a specific purpose.
Authorisation to wear the badge9
9.Each eligible member may be awarded the badge on one occasion only. The following may grant authority to wear the badge:
a. Senior Australian Army Contingent Commander (SAACC). The SAACC of the deployed Army force may award the ACB to members where clear grounds exist. The SAACC will be the recommending authority for the award of the ACB in exceptional circumstances.
b. Army Capability Management Committee (ACMC). Chaired by the Deputy Chief of Army, the ACMC will be the approving authority for awarding the ACB to members in exceptional circumstances.
Description10
10.The badge, finished in burnished bronze, is in the form of two crossed swords surrounded by a laurel wreath. It is approximately 30 mm wide and fixed to the uniform by means of pins and clutch grips. A miniature of the badge is worn on mess dress.
Eligibility11
11. Any Army member of any corps of the ARA, High Readiness or Active Reserve, except Royal Australian Infantry Corps, who were force assigned to a combat team or battle group. The member may be male or female, who has given either continuous or an aggregate of 90 days satisfactory service in warfighting operations for a single deployment or operation. The Chief of Army may alter the eligibility criteria depending on the operation or deployment. Qualification criteria include, but are not limited to the following:
a. the member or group was involved in direct combat with an adversary; and
b. the member or group were involved in actions that were intended to bring them into contact with an adversary, such as fighting patrols, ambushing or advance to contact, not including clearing patrols.
12.The ACB may also be awarded in the following special circumstances:
a. except as regards length of service, satisfies the requirement of paragraph 11. and who, in respect of service, has been decorated for gallantry, wounded in action, or evacuated from the theatre of operations because of a disability (not self-inflicted) attributable to that service; or
b. been involved in direct combat with an adversary in an other than warlike operation (such as a peace keeping operation), or
c. serves in a conflict either with Australian forces or on exchange, but where that operation is less than 90 days, but in all other circumstances, the nature of the conflict would qualify for the ACB. Applications are to be recommended by the SAACC in theatre or the Head of Defence Staff of the country with which the member was deployed.
13.The award of the ACB is not retrospective. Members who are on operations at the time when this instruction is signed will be eligible to apply for the ACB. The ACB can only be awarded once.
Infantry Combat Badge14
14.The ACB does not replace the ICB. Members who wear the ICB or are eligible to be awarded the ICB are not entitled to wear or be awarded the ACB. The ICB instruction Defence Instruction (Army) PERS 97–5—Infantry Combat Badge remains extant. If an infantryman who is awarded the ICB corps transfers to another corps they may continue to wear the badge.
Approval action15
15.SAACC. The SAACC of the deployed force is responsible for finalising all details of entitlement for members who have qualified for the ACB in normal circumstances. Where possible, the SAACC should present eligible members with the ACB prior to their departure from the theatre. In extraordinary circumstances where the qualifying criteria are not met, the SAACC will be the recommending authority to the ACMC. Recommendation is to be via a Minute addressing the eligibility criteria with a recommendation by the
SAACC.
16.ACMC. The ACMC is to consider the recommendation for awarding the ACB. The ACB should not be used in lieu of a gallantry award or other awards for service. The ACB may be awarded in addition to any commendation or award for gallantry or service.
3 DI(A) PERS 119–1 PERS 18/2005 1 OCT 2005
Unit action1717.When an ACB is awarded, the deployed unit Headquarter is responsible for entering the award onto PMKeyS and informs Directorate of Officer Career Management—Army) (DOCM–A) or Soldier Career Management Agency (SCMA). Should the unit not have the ability to access PMKeyS, then the award notification is to be sent to the relevant Careers Adviser at either DOCM–A or SCMA certified by the
SAACC.
Basis of issue1818.Each eligible member will be issued two full size and two miniature badges at public expense. The SAACC should indent for the number required through the Q system in time to present eligible members prior to their return to Australia.
Wearing of the badge1919. The ACB is to be worn by eligible serving members of the Australian Army and may be worn by eligible ex-Army members, who subsequently join other uniformed organisations whose dress regulations permit the wearing, in uniform, of military awards. Eligible retired members may also wear the ACB, with the appropriate uniform, when attending military functions. On those occasions where medals may be worn on civilian clothes, the ACB may also be worn.
20.The badge is worn on the left breast, centrally placed one centimetre immediately above the medal ribbons or medals, with all orders of dress. On mess dress and mess dress white jacket a miniature of the badge is to be worn in the same location. For members entitled to wear another award badge, ie Badges Flying/Parachute Instructor, on the left breast, the ACB is to be worn one centimetre above the Badges Flying/Parachute Instructor. Only the ACB or the ICB may be worn, not both.
Forfeiture and restoration2121. Should any member forfeit campaign stars or medals then the ACB shall also be forfeited. Upon restoration of forfeited campaign stars or medals the forfeited ACB shall also be restored.
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