Military Police Sergeant Chad R. Cupples will receive the Combat Action Badge from U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan in a ceremony at 2 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 23, at the Congressman’s office, 3121 W. Elm St., Lima.
*The Combat Action Badge (CAB) is a United States military award given to soldiers of the U.S. Army of any rank and who are not members of an infantry or special forces unit, for being "present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with prescribed rules of engagement" at any point in time after Sept. 18, 2001.*
Cupples served in Iraq with the 323rd Military Police Company. His team was involved in an engagement on May 27, 2003, and took direct small arms fire from enemy combatants as well as indirect rocket and mortar fire on several occasions.
Because Cupples had left the service when the medal was authorized, he did not receive the CAB with his team. He tried twice unsuccessfully to secure the CAB for himself.
In August 2019, he connected with Amanda Parlapiano a representative of Rep. Jordan’s office, whom helped Cupples to receive the award and arranged the CAB ceremony almost 17 years after the date of the attack.
