Why a combat badge was mysteriously cancelled by the Canadian military

Newly declassified records show the behind-the scenes debate on whether to move forward on the award and why it was cancelled.

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Published Jan 02, 2025  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

During a foot patrol in Kabul, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces marches past the old palace of the King of Afghanistan. Photo by Master Cpl. Yves Proteau /Submitted

Canadian military leaders cancelled a proposed combat action badge in 2008 because they were worried soldiers in Afghanistan would risk their lives to attain the coveted honour, according to newly declassified records.

In addition, there were concerns that navy and air force personnel would find it difficult to qualify as the Combat Action Badge or CAB favoured those involved in ground fighting.

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The CAB had been proposed in 2006 by then Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier and was long awaited by those troops who had been involved in intense fighting in Afghanistan.

But two years later, the award was cancelled with little explanation.

Now, newly declassified records released under the Access to Information Act outlined the behind-the scenes debate on whether to move forward on the award and why it was cancelled.

Combat action, according to the records, was defined as a point where an individual was in close proximity to or directly targeted by the enemy and that their personal safety was at high risk. Three badges were to be developed, each designating a level of action or danger.

But then objections from various quarters of the Canadian Forces came in to play, according to the records.

Some military leaders worried the badge was divisive or would promote “elitism” where some personnel would be awarded the CAB and others would not.

Concerns were raised that some troops would risk their lives to be awarded the top level of the CAB. “The current approach is a temptation to disregard ROE (Rules of Engagement) and fire discipline in order to claim a gold CAB,” military leaders were warned.

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The Department of National Defence’s directorate of history and heritage or DHH summed up the various views in an Aug. 21, 2008 briefing note for military leaders.

DHH didn’t believe the combat badge was a good award for the Canadian Forces. “It does not increase military effectiveness,” the briefing noted. “In fact, it tempts CF personnel to act counter to the best interests of the deployed force and it adds an administrative burden on the chain of comment.

“In the land context, the CAB concept recognizes the maneuver elements at the expense of the rest of the force and can motivate soldiers to be in the wrong place or to act inappropriately to achieve recognition as a warrior,” the DHH analysis pointed out.

The history directorate also warned the concept of the award was designed with the army in mind and did not fit well for naval and air operations. “In both the sea and air environments, close combat is a rare event,” DHH noted.

In an interview in April 2008, Hillier told the Ottawa Citizen that the badge had already been designed and would be issued to soldiers who had been in a combat operation.

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Afghan war veterans had been keen to receive the combat insignia, a situation acknowledged by Hillier. He said that the badge would be issued by the end of 2008.

The Ottawa Citizen, however, reported in May 2009 that the senior Canadian Forces leadership had decided against the award. It was cancelled in late 2008 after Hillier retired.

But there were few explanations for the decision at the time. A terse internal message from then defence chief Gen. Walter Natynczyk noted military personnel had been consulted and that “significant improvements have been made over the last several years to recognize military personnel for their devotion to duty, courage and leadership in the military profession. Accordingly it has been decided not to pursue development of an insignia signifying combat involvement.”

Natynczyk had also pointed out in an interview with the Ottawa Citizen there were problems with determining who would get the badge.

He noted that when the badge was first proposed, the Canadian military had just fought in Operation Medusa in 2006 and a limited number of soldiers had experienced combat up until that point. But two years later, large numbers of personnel had experienced some form of action, he added.

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According to the military, the improvements made in recognizing the service of Canadian Forces personnel include the modernization of the Memorial Cross and reintroducing the Memorial Scroll and Memorial Bar and a simplified and accelerated nomination process for individual honours.

Also included in those improvements was the creation of a number of new medals to recognize service such as the South-West Asia Service Medal, the General Campaign Star and the General Service Medal with their various bars and the Sacrifice Medal.

But a number of soldiers contacted the Ottawa Citizen at the time to voice their displeasure about not receiving the award. They say they earned the badge under fire.

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

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