The first Air Force Combat Action Medal was awarded in June of 2007, which makes it one of the newest Air Force medals. These Air Force ribbons and medals may be retroactively bestowed on Air Force personnel back to September 11, 2001. These Air Force decorations are awarded to airmen for their participation in combat activities, and while recommended at the local commander level, must be approved by the Commander of Air Force forces. These Air Force ribbons and medals do not earn points under the Weighted Airmen Promotion System.
The Air Force Combat Action Medal is considered the equivalent of the Navy and Marine Corps’ Combat Action Ribbon, and is worn below the Air Force Achievement Medal and above the Presidential Unit Citation in the order of precedence for military medals.
The Air Force Combat Action Medal is a copy of the insignia painted on General Billy Mitchell’s WWI aircraft, and is unusual in that it resembles many British awards with its use of a diagonally patterned ribbon.
The Air Force Combat Action Medal can be worn as full size military medals and mini medals, military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military awards, it is available as slide-on full size military medals or mini-medals, slide-on military ribbons, and the more popular thin medals and mini-medals, and thin ribbons.