Can you wear the Expert Infantry Badge and the Combat Action Badge together?

Answer 1

No, they are both Class I Badges; you are only authorized to wear one (1) Class I badge at a time, IAW ALARACT Messages published by HQDA.

Individuals who have earned both the EIB and the CAB currently have the option to wear either the CAB or the EIB, but not both. Individuals who have earned both the Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) and the CAB are authorized to wear both badges.

While this is not spelled out in the current (2005) version of AR 670-1, it has been delineated in several ALARACT Messages related to the approval of the CAB. Hopefully HQDA will correct this error prior to publishing the next version of AR 670-1.

Contrary to public opinion, when a Soldier has earned multiple badges in the same category, it is up to the Soldier to decide which award to wear.

However if a Soldier has earned both the EIB and the CIB then the following applies:

Combat badges have precedence over special skill badges within the

same group. For example, if an individual is authorized to wear the Combat Infantry badge and the Expert Infantry

badge, the Combat Infantry badge is worn. (ref AR 670-1 ch. 29-17 p. 297)

*side note*

As infantry are not authorized to wear the CAB, they cannot wear it. The infantry have the Combat Infantry Badge which is their much older award. The CAB was designated to identify soldiers in non-infantry MOS' who have seen combat. The exception would be a soldier who re-classed to or from infantry and was then subsequently awarded the CAB. In that situation the above posters answer is correct.